The "Art of Life" webinar took place online on September 16^th with Specialist Dietitian Dilara Koçak as a guest speaker where the basics of well living from nutrition to exercise, from shopping to kitchen management were discussed.

During the pandemic, one of the groups that needed physical and mental support the most are the elderly and their families. Within the scope of the Women’s Empowerment and Support of Social Cohesion Project, which is carried out in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Turkey, GAP Regional Development Administration (GAP RDA) and ‘Ankara University Ageing Studies Implementation and Research Center (YASAM), online psycho-social support webinars for the elderly, their families and the health and social workers who take care of them are organized with the goal of increasing their vocational adjustment and resilience over the course of  the pandemic.

Moderated by Prof. Dr. Emine Özmete, the "Art of Life" webinar was actively participated by around 200 participants from the pilot provinces of the project which are Sanliurfa, Mardin, Kilis, Gaziantep and Hatay, as well as other parts of Turkey. Along with the valuable presentation of Dietitian and Activist Dilara Koçak, the webinar turned into an informative and enjoyable conversation on the art of living.

Future Lies in Tradition...

Reputable Dietitian Dilara Koçak stated in her presentation that the art of well living actually starts from the small habits that we can add into our lives, and instead of searching for such habits from faraway lands, she emphasized the importance of looking into our own lands and own traditions, meanwhile eating right food in the right season and supporting the local.

Along with the “Future Lies in Tradition” motto, Koçak underlined that healthy eating practices have actually been carried as a culture from past traditions for centuries and when looked carefully, we could find out many useful tips about healthy living, adding that we should adapt a sustainable way of healthy eating not only to age well, but to leave a better world for the future generations.

The webinar continued with talks and explanation of useful practices on a range of topics from nutrition to exercising, from shopping to kitchen practices such as cooking techniques, product choices, food containing criteria and how these practices could be effective on nutrition and budget of the household.

The guests were also able to ask their questions live at the webinar. Via these inquiries, many topics such as healthy eating tips for all family members with a focus on patients over 65, shopping tips, eating habits and sweet craving were also covered.

The series of online psycho-social support trainings aiming to improve adjustment and resilience within the scope of the Women's Empowerment and Support of Social Cohesion Project continue for three groups: social workers, elderly and their families, in order to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. Webinars on “The Art of Life” will continue with a new guest every month within the scope of "Vocational Adjustment and Resilience Trainings for Elderly During Pandemic".