Health care - Why It Is Vital To Know Senior Citizen Health Care Related Information

by Kanan James NGO INDIA

A concerned family member can help to facilitate the knowledge required to stay healthy and support the Elder health care and senior citizen health care through these issues without panicking, if they learn about the issues that come with aging early on in life.

Nowadays new technology has increased the life expectancy of people all over the world. Being healthy helps to mitigate some of the problems that come with aging, but they will still develop as a person ages. It is important to know more about the effects of aging so as to makes sure we can counter the symptoms and help make the elderly more comfortable. Elder health care makes sure that being a senior citizen does not create panic among the person and their family and helps to preserve health as much as possible.

Listed below are a few Elderly health issues that might be encountered.

Chronic health issues

● Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart conditions can become more prevalent and common.

● Another issue that is often very common is the weakening of the bones.

● The loss of hearing and vision is something seen in the elderly very often.

● In addition, mental health issues are also prevalent. Diseases like Alzheimer's is the most common memory related problem that is found.

All these issues in the elderly may not be preventable, but it is possible to minimize the effects of these diseases by taking early action. This is what senior citizen health care is all about.

Ways to prevent health issues in the elderly

According to research maintaining a healthy body weight is critical to reducing the risk of health problems like diabetes. Eating healthy is a very important part of helping to preserve the health of the people. Regular diet, exercise and sleep help to mitigate all risks to health issues in the elderly. It is important to start these practices, early in life to preserve life to the maximum.

Changes occurring in the elderly

Apart from the fact that a person develops grey hair and wrinkles, there are many more things that could develop as the person ages.

Heart

As a person ages, the heart rate starts to slow. The heart can become bigger and the blood vessels stiffen. This can lead to hypertension and other heart diseases.

What to do

To promote a healthy heart physical activity should be part of the daily routine. A moderate amount of physical activity helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure. A healthy diet keeps the heart healthy and not having habits like smoking can reduce the issues of the heart. Reducing stress is important to help a person stay healthy.

Bones

Bones have a tendency to shrink in density and size with age. This makes a person weaker and prone to fractures. The height of the person may reduce. Flexibility and strength reduce and coordination and balance reduce.

What to do

To optimize bone health it is important to get enough calcium in the body. Eating products like dairy, almonds etc. helps to substitute the low calcium. Taking enough vitamin D rich foods is also recommended. It is advised to reduce substance abuse to increase the overall health of the person.

Constipation and Incontinence

These issues are common in older people. There are many other issues such as irritable bowel syndromes and certain other medical conditions that may contribute to the issue of constipation. A person as they grow older, their muscles begin to weaken causing an increase in incontinence.

What to do

A healthy diet with high fibre content and plenty of water can help with reduction of constipation. It is also important to limit the dairy, sweet intake. Doing Kegel’s exercise and going to the bathroom regularly can help to reduce the effects of incontinence.

Memory Issues

The memory of a person becomes less efficient naturally as a person ages.

What to do

Physical activity helps to increase blood flow to the brain and helps to keep the memory sharp. Having a healthy and wholesome diet keep the brain focused and keeps memory issues at bay. Alcohol consumption increase the risk memory damage so should be avoided and mentally stimulating pass times can help to keep issues with memory away.

Eyesight and hearing

With aging, the eye muscles generally become weaker. The ability to focus, see clearly reduces. The sensitivity to light increases. The hearing ability also reduced with age.

What to do

Keeping the vision and hearing health optimum, it is important to make sure to check for possible issues regularly. It is important to take the doctors advice on what to do to prevent or reduce these issues. It is better not to get exposed too much too harsh sunlight and loud noises that can impair the function of the eyes and ears.

Oral health

Teeth can become more brittle, gums can recede and a dry mouth can increase the risk of infection and decay.

What to do

Brushing, flossing and regular check ups with the dentist is recommended to prevent the issues with teeth. Adopt procedures that help to reduce chances of infection and decay.

Skin Issues

The skin thins with age becomes less elastic. The skin becomes fragile and the fatty tissue below the skin reduces. The person can bruise more easily and the skin becomes drier

What to do

It is very important to make sure the skin is well moisturized. Use of nonallergic ingredients is recommended and mild soaps and moisturizers should be used. Use of sunscreens is recommended. Getting the skin checked regularly is also recommended.

Conclusion

All these issues can occur as a person ages. There are much more issues that people can face, so it is important to equip the senior citizen homes with precautions to prevent accidents and issues. Getting a person into healthy habits is also important. Ultimately, it is the decision of the elderly person to stay healthy that will help to keep them in good health.