Aging brings its own unique health issues. Not only do you have to deal with wrinkles, gray hair and drier skin but there are health problems that tend to be more common among seniors.
Issues:
- Chronic health conditions. Many seniors deal with at least one if not more chronic health issues. Included in this list are diabetes, arthritis, obesity, heart disease and osteoporosis. Chronic illnesses cause more than two thirds of the deaths among seniors each year. Some chronic illnesses can be prevented but all can be managed to make it easier to live a healthy life.
- Cognitive health issues. Your cognition includes thinking, learning and remembering. The most common cognitive health issue among the elderly is dementia. Substance abuse and diseases such as diabetes can make it easier to develop dementia or other cognitive impairments. There is no cure for dementia but there are medications available and it can be managed.
- Malnutrition and eating disorders. Malnutrition quite often goes undiagnosed in the elderly. Weight loss is usually attributed to another condition. Eating disorders such as bulimia can be hard to recognize and can lead to fatal illnesses. Dementia or mental illnesses can cause seniors to neglect their diet and those with substance abuse problems may skip meals altogether.
There are other health issues which tend to be more common in the elderly. Physical injuries, usually as the result of falls, bring older adults to the emergency room every 15 seconds. Vision and hearing impairments increase with age. Oral health can cause a variety of problems in seniors. More than a quarter of those over 65 no longer have their natural teeth. Incontinence increases with age and in general, over all neglect of their health is a common theme in many seniors.
There are preventative measures for many illnesses and other ways to manage most. To read the full article on common elderly health issues, click here.
