Smoking leads to serious health hazards and puts us at high risk of developing cancers, cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary issues, and many other lifelong disorders. Quitting smoking at any age can improve overall health and add years to life. However, we may find it difficult to quit smoking as it contains nicotine and other addictive substances. [...]
Arthritic conditions such as osteoarthritis are the leading causes of chronic pain in old age. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 14 million US seniors aged 65 or older are affected by osteoarthritis. Unfortunately, leisure lifestyles and obesity make us more prone to osteoarthritis in old age. Here, we will [...]
Affecting a significant number (about one-third) of the elderly, loneliness and social isolation can put us at risk of serious health problems. We can take certain measures to cope with the loneliness of the elderly, and among those, "Friendship Line" is the most accredited crisis line available for the elderly. Here we’ll discuss how we [...]
The likelihood of suffering chronic and disabling diseases has increased due to a significant increase in life expectancy in recent years. Consequently, we need professional care and assistance as we get older. Here we’ll discuss which diseases or situations can make us care-dependent and options to overcome this issue, including how AmeriCorps can help us [...]
An advance healthcare directive refers to a legal document that states our medical decisions if we cannot make the decisions in the future due to illness or incapacity. It defines our healthcare desires and values related to end-of-life decisions, including artificial nutrition, dialysis, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), etc. Let’s briefly discuss the types of advance directive, [...]
Geriatric depression, also known as late-age depression, is not a normal aging phenomenon but a mental health disease that needs to be managed just like other illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 7 million US elders are affected by depression. Here, we'll discuss the symptoms of geriatric depression and [...]
Presbycusis refers to the age-related gradual impairment of hearing from both ears. It is the leading cause of hearing loss worldwide, and about one-third of the US population aged 70 or more is affected by presbycusis. Commonly, it occurs due to age-related changes in the auditory nerve and inner ear. However, the risk factors may [...]
Dementia refers to the decline in cognitive function of the brain, affecting memory, learning, judgment, and language abilities. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia among the elderly. About 6.2 million elder Americans are affected by this disease, characterized by progressive memory loss, disorientation, and negative changes in mood and personality. Here we’ll [...]
As we become older, we need some important changes in our daily eating habits to meet the unique nutrition needs of old age. Here's the basic framework we can follow while deciding what to eat and what to avoid in the elderly. 1. Eat a balanced diet using five food groups. The five food groups [...]