Health Issues that Elderly People Face

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Getting old is extremely daunting and it is accompanied by wrinkles, grey hair, and often ending up forgetting where your car is parked. Aging can also bring a number of health issues. It is extremely crucial to evaluate the different challenges that you can face when you start aging and understand the manners in which you can take care of yourself. Even when you are affected by any particular condition, if you know how to deal with it, you are going to remain healthy for a long time.

Given below is a list of the few health issues that you need to have a sound knowledge about.

Chronic conditions of health

Studies have revealed that almost 92% of the aging people are known to have a chronic disease and many also have more than two. The most costly and common chronic conditions of health include heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, and stroke. This is why it is advised that after a certain age, the elderly people should consult with their physicians on an annual basis. This will help them to maintain a proper diet along with an exercise regime, which will help in preventing and managing all these chronic diseases. Obesity is also a problem that is growing among older adults. This is why a proper lifestyle behavior is necessary to reduce obesity along with the other chronic conditions.

Cognitive health

Cognitive health focuses on the ability of a person to think, remember, and learn. A common cognitive issue that most of the elderly people face is dementia, which means that they lose all the cognitive functions. Dementia is also responsible for other conditions like hypertension, depression, and diabetes. It is true that dementia does not have a cure but the physicians can definitely prescribe treatment plans as well as medications for managing this disease.

Mental health

According to a number of reports that have been published, it has been revealed that almost 15 to 20% of the adults, who are above the age of sixty, are known to suffer from mental disorders. One of the most common disorders that a person faces is depression, which is known to occur in almost all elderly populations. Depression also leads to suicides. It is extremely important to seek professional help for a person who is suffering from depression. Furthermore, a healthy lifestyle should be promoted by taking support from the family, friends, or even a proper support group.

Health Issues Today

Physical injuries

When a person starts aging, the bones and muscles start losing flexibility and strength. This is what makes the seniors susceptible to lose the balance of their body. This is responsible for a number of physical injuries like bruising or getting a fractured bone. Two diseases, namely osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are responsible for more than 50% of the physical injuries. These issues can be prevented by educating the seniors, increasing their physical activities, and practical modifications in their homes.

Conclusion

It is extremely difficult to reverse your aging process but if you take care of your health and schedule a check-up annually, chances are that you will remain healthy and will not suffer from any kind of unwanted pain.