11 November 2025
Bilbao Campus
The second talk in the “Adding Life to Our Years” lecture series, organised by the Pedro Fabro Association of Retired University of Deusto Staff, took place on 11 November 2025. The speaker, Xabier del Río, focused his presentation, attended by 44 in-person participants and 8 online, on “functionality and frailty in adulthood and older age”.
The specialist began his speech by identifying three pillars in the ageing process: the years, the ageing generation and the real possibility of slowing it down. To achieve this slowdown, it is essential to take a holistic view that includes not only nutrition, sleep and stress management, but also the social side of the individual. He emphasised that, in a context of increased longevity, the main goal is to “stay physically active for as long as possible.”
Xabier del Río emphasised that the real "pill" for longevity and health is physical exercise, especially strength training. "We are designed to move because we are muscle," he said, stressing that maintaining muscle mass is essential for healthy and active ageing. Otherwise, sedentary lifestyles lead to serious health problems: frailty, and difficulties with language, movement, memory and spatial quality.
The speaker urged action with the phrase: "Tell me how you move and I'll tell you how you are", assuring that it is never too late to become physically active. Del Rio also suggested that the best time to exercise is in the morning.
In his conclusions, Xabier del Río was categorical: it is necessary to prevent frailty through the implementation of multidisciplinary health programmes, as well as social and educational policies.
He concluded by calling on the healthcare community to recognise physical exercise as a clinical practice, with the prescription of reliable and effective exercises tailored to each individual’s specific needs.
Objective of the Lecture Series
The “Adding Life to Our Years” series aims to address the fact that, although life expectancy has increased considerably thanks to medical advances and social improvements, “our years are not always filled with vitality”.
The association stresses that existing is automatic, but learning to live is "voluntary and active", and involves “developing our potential to become fulfilled, happy, joyful, and compassionate individuals”. They state that “Learning to live is not about having more things, but about personal growth; and this fills our years with life”.
The lecture series is open to the participation of the citizens of Bilbao and the surrounding areas.
