“It’s not how old you are; it’s how you are old.”
The words of French author and philosopher Pierre-Jules Renard encapsulate the philosophy behind global healthcare company Abbott’s new campaign dubbed as “Strength to Live Your Dreams” for Ensure, a wide range of nutritional supplements for adults.
According to a survey conducted by Abbott, nine out of 10 older Filipinos still nurture dreams – which may be as simple as starting a flower garden, traveling to a certain place, starting a bakeshop or becoming a ballroom dancing champion. But more often than not, their age, and the corresponding weakness that goes with it, hinders these older adults from fulfilling these dreams.
This was borne out by the survey that also found 93 percent of Filipinos aged 50 above admitting that poor physical condition limits them from pursuing their aspirations. And while Filipino children are known to be supportive of parents – taking care of them in their old age, spending money to keep the oldies entertained and happy, very few (20 percent) actually consider the necessity to provide their parents with nutritional supplements to keep the latter physically strong.
During the event, actor and youth advocate Dingdong Dantes shared his own experience with his father, Jose Sixto Dantes Jr., who had hinted about wishing to revive his passion for motorcycle riding. But like many others, the older Dantes was hesitant due to his age. Without letting on about his plan, Dingdong quietly started refurbishing his Dad’s motorcycle, and began giving the older man Ensure nutritional supplement drink to build up his strength.
According to Abbott Nutrition Philippines Medical Director Dr. Jose Dimaano, the loss of strength is a top health concern among Filipinos aged 40 and above, and that seven out of 10 Filipino patients with normal body mass index consume only 60 percent or less of their required food intake, which puts them at great risk of nutrition gaps. As such, their muscle function is reduced, which affects the performance of their daily activities, Dimaano explained.
We Filipinos are known for being caring towards the elderly, and we go to great lengths to make sure that they are given creature comforts, since we expect them to become more frail and weak as they grow older. Even those who are just in their forties are also beginning to feel the ravages of age, like hearing creaking noises when they stretch their backs or flex their arms and legs after working lengthily before a computer. Those in their fifties also admitted having difficulty climbing up the stairs.
One of the reasons why this frailty develops is because older people are unable to get the right amount of nutrients even from a regular diet, compounded by poor appetite, inability to absorb nutrients, poor dental function (think falsies) which reduces one’s ability to chew, and poor digestion. And this is where nutritional supplements like Ensure can make a difference, because the products have been scientifically designed to provide essential nutrients like proteins, vitamins and minerals for physical strength, and other ingredients that include dietary fibers, medium chain triglycerides and Fructo-oligosaccharides.
Asked why Abbott chose Dingdong Dantes as its new brand ambassador for Ensure, Dr. Dimaano said, “We saw that Dingdong and his father have the relationship that can exemplify the kind of message we want to convey. We saw they dynamics in their relationship and the motorcycle story fit the concept,” the healthcare professional averred, adding that they also found the father-and-son tandem to be credible since the older Dantes had been using Ensure.
Indeed, a few weeks after taking Ensure, Dingdong noticed that his father’s grip became stronger and firmer. “Something was ‘jumpstarted’ in him, and he became even more active,” the actor shared.
“I realized that as one ages, along with wisdom also comes the increasing passion and enthusiasm to do things, but the only limit is their capacity and capability to achieve their dreams. I know that my father has a lot of dreams and that there are so many things that he still wants to achieve,” Dingdong continued, laughing how he recalled that for so many years, his father had been talking about fixing the garden but only got to do it lately.
“And now he wants to put up a farm and I see that happening in the future,” he continued, admitting that all his father needed was some sort of a nudge to get him started in fulfilling the things he wanted to achieve.
“Something changed in him,” remarked Dingdong, marveling at the difference that the simple act of providing the nutritional supplement made. “ The act of giving the product was already a statement that we want him to do more, that we support him and that we are behind him.”
Of course, it does not end there. “We have to constantly remind our parents to take care of themselves and build up their strength, and we also have to communicate and spend time with them,” he added.
“As sons and daughters, we can become ‘enablers’ through products like Ensure, and help our parents fulfill their dreams,” the actor concluded.
