According to the CDC, 41% of persons 65 and older say they are in good or excellent health. This is encouraging as many of those 65-year-olds are living to experience birthdays above 80 years old, and average life expectancy is rising.
Nevertheless, planning for your health in the latter years is just as critical as your financial future. Numerous health issues that seniors frequently deal with may impact their general quality of life.
Knowing the top health issues that affect seniors may help you make lifestyle changes that will help you age as healthily as possible.
Depression
Sixteen percent of older adults seek depression treatment, a treatable medical condition causing persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, fatigue, and difficulty making decisions.
To help manage stress, eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and talk to your doctor if you have experienced any warning signs of depression. Exercise can improve mood, boost self-confidence, and increase socialization.
Limit consumption of alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and highly processed foods.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
For chronic kidney disease (CKD), or a progressive loss of kidney function over time, about 25% of older persons received treatment. Individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are more likely to experience renal failure or cardiac disease.
Actions you can do to stop or lessen CKD symptoms include:
- Recognize the causes of kidney damage. Your best bet is to prevent diabetes and high blood pressure, as these conditions are the biggest risk factors for kidney injury.
- Early identification and intervention. See your doctor frequently, keep up with screenings, and remember to take any prescriptions you require to reduce symptoms.
Diabetes
Twenty-seven percent of senior citizens received treatment for diabetes, a condition that arises from insufficient or resistant insulin production in the body. Your body uses insulin to deliver the energy from food to your cells. If this doesn’t occur, you have high blood sugar, which can cause blindness, heart disease, and renal illness, among other problems. Diabetes becomes more likely after the age of 45.
There are things you can do to prevent diabetes from getting into your system or to control it already:
- Maintaining a nutritious diet includes monitoring your calorie and carbohydrate intake and, with your physician, alcohol use.
- Five days a week, 30 minutes of exercise will help you regulate weight growth and blood glucose levels.
Arthritis
The most common ailment affecting those 65 years or older is likely arthritis, according to geriatrician Marie Bernard, MD, deputy director of the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Maryland. According to CDC estimates, it affects 49.7% of persons over 65 and can cause pain and a reduction in quality of life for many older adults. Even though arthritis may make you less active, it’s still vital to engage with your physician to create a customized exercise program that, when combined with other treatments, can help preserve senior health.
Hearing Problems
Hearing loss, a common chronic condition among older adults, can lead to social isolation, communication difficulties, and cognitive decline. Advancements in hearing aid technology have improved management, allowing older adults to maintain active lifestyles. If you live in Timnath, CO, and are looking for hearing aids, do not hesitate to access hearing aids Timnath CO.
