Older Adults Have Unique Health Issues -
Here's What Right at Home of Central New Jersey Wants You to Know
The right people, doing the right things,
the right way, for the right reasons.
Right at Home.
As people age, a number of health conditions can shift, causing mild irritation and consternation to a full outbreak of pain and disability from eyesight problems to their hearing fading, from arthritis or issues with their teeth. Since American seniors on average are living another 19 years once they reach age 65, it can be challenging to stay healthy.
As Beth Sholom, Owner/Executive Director of Right at Home of Central New Jersey states "Many changes in physical condition and ability gradually occur as a person ages so what is considered a 'minor health issue' (a cut on the skin for example) can be a serious health risk to an elderly person. So how can a senior ward off the common health issues of aging and remain healthy overall in later life? Are certain declines in health inevitable or are they actually preventable"?
There are 5 age-related health changes specific to older adults and here are our suggestions for preventative measures for each condition.
Skin - Dryness, wrinkles and age spots can all occur as the skin ages. Older people have fewer oil glands and perspire less, increasing skin dryness. Aging skin also thins and loses fat, so the skin appears less supple and smooth. Smoking is detrimental on the skin, harming skin’s elastin proteins and increasing facial wrinkles. Taking a number of medications or dealing with medical issues such as an underactive thyroid or cardiovascular or renal conditions can also stress and dry out the skin.
Prevention Steps
- Protect your skin from the damaging effects of sun exposure. The American Academy of Dermatology offers a number of valuable resources on sun safety.
- Get an annual full-body skin check from a professional dermatologist.
- Prevent skin dryness and itching by increasing humidity in the home.
- Go easy on using antiperspirants, soaps and perfumes, and taking hot baths or showers.
- Keep adequately hydrated.
- Ask your doctor about getting the shingles vaccine.
Dental - Children are not the only ones who can get cavities. As the teeth’s outer protective enamel layer wears down, bacteria in the form of sticky dental plaque can cause tooth decay and cavities. Plaque that remains on teeth too long builds up into hardened tartar, which brushing cannot clean. Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease or gingivitis, can cause gums to swell, recede from teeth and form pockets that can become infected. The infection can deteriorate gums, bone and tissue that hold teeth in place.
The elderly may also experience a problem with dry mouth, which makes a person more cavity prone. Dry mouth is a side effect of more than 500 medications, including those for allergies, anxiety, high blood pressure, pain and high cholesterol. Oral cancers are another problem that increases with age. The American Cancer Society cites that the average age for mouth, throat or tongue cancer is age 62.
Prevention Steps
- Brush your teeth at least twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste. Clean between teeth daily with dental floss or a special flossing product.
- Clean dentures daily with specific cleaners designed for dentures.
- Relieve dry mouth symptoms by drinking more water and using an over-the-counter spray or mouthwash moisturizer.
- Visit your dentist at least once a year for teeth cleaning and a dental exam.
Sensory - Vision and hearing are two of the body’s main senses that are affected by age. For many people, eyesight begins to diminish around age 40. The National Institute on Aging reports that roughly one-third of people ages 65 to 74 experience hearing loss, and nearly half of people age 75 and older have trouble hearing. Vision loss with age includes presbyopia, a slow loss of the ability to see close up. Cataracts, glaucoma and retinal disorders such as macular degeneration also increase with age. Age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, is gradual but should not be ignored if left untreated. Many seniors also encounter tinnitus, which causes a ringing, roaring or other bothersome noise in the ears.
Prevention Steps
Eyesight
- Get a yearly eye exam if you are over age 50 or have known health risks.
- Eat a nutritious diet that promotes healthy eyesight. Foods packed with vitamins A, C and E and rich in omega fatty acids help protect the eyes from dryness and infection.
- If you smoke, quit. Smoking significantly increases the risk for macular degeneration.
- Wear durable eye protection for activities that could injure the eyes.
Hearing
- Avoid exposure to loud noises. Wear earplugs, ear muffs or custom ear gear when around activities or events with excess noise.
- Turn down the volume on music, the television, etc.
- Use a smartphone app that measures noise levels.
- Talk to your doctor about medications that can be harmful to hearing.
- Know your family history and medical conditions that can cause hearing deficits.
- Ask your doctor about a hearing screening as part of an annual physical. After age 50 or if you or others notice your hearing diminish, make an appointment with an audiologist for a hearing health evaluation.
Bones and Joints - The body’s weight-bearing bones and major joints take considerable wear and tear over the years. By the time a person reaches their 60s, they face two of the most common forms of age-related health conditions: osteoporosis and arthritis. Osteoporosis is a gradual process of a person’s bones thinning, losing density and becoming fragile to the point of easily breaking. Women are the most susceptible to this bone weakening, and the bones typically affected are the hip, spine and wrist.
A survey reported that arthritis, one of the most prevalent causes of chronic pain, affected an estimated 54.4 million Americans, and almost half of them were age 65 and older. There are more than 100 types of arthritis, including gout and lupus. Osteoarthritis, the joint wear-and-tear condition, is the most common form of arthritis in older adults. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that occurs when a person’s immune system attacks the body’s healthy tissues, eroding the lining of joints (synovium) and triggering painful inflammation.
Prevention Steps
Osteoporosis
- Check with your physician about when to get a bone mass density scan.
- Participate in weight-bearing exercises such as walking, weight lifting and other types of strength and resistance training to strengthen bones.
- Consume adequate amounts of calcium-rich foods daily or take calcium supplements.
- Be sure to get enough vitamin D in your diet, which helps your body absorb calcium.
Arthritis
- Control your weight to take extra stress off joints.
- Avoid injuries to bones and joints by wearing proper sports equipment and getting adequate safety training for work and play.
- Do not smoke. Smoking is linked to developing rheumatoid arthritis.
- Eat a nutritious diet with low amounts of alcohol, sugar and purines. Consuming fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids has shown to reduce inflammation and lower the risk for rheumatoid arthritis.
Urogenital - The aging process also creates less-talked about problems with both men and women: urogenital symptoms of urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections and an enlarged prostate. With age, the bladder’s elastic tissue may toughen and stretch less, limiting the amount of urine the bladder can hold and prompting the need for more frequent urination. In older adults, the muscles in the pelvic floor and bladder wall may weaken, causing urine to leak or difficulty in fully emptying the bladder.
Older women are more likely to encounter issues with bladder control, while senior men may struggle to even pass urine because the prostate gland tends to grow bigger with age and can constrict the urethra tube that directs urine out of the body. In addition, the average age for prostate cancer is age 66, and more than 70% of men over age 80 have some level of cancer cells in their prostate.
Prevention Steps
- Be aware of factors that affect bladder health. Some medications, caffeine and alcohol can bother the bladder. Some people find that sodas, artificial sweeteners, and citrus- and tomato-based foods make bladder problems worse.
- Practice wise health habits overall. Since there is no sure-fire prevention for prostate cancer, medical professionals recommend reducing risk for the disease by maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active and eating a diet high in certain vegetables, including cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower).
“As all of us age, it is important to get regular health exams and be intentional about our diet and exercise,” Beth Sholom reminds us. “I am always encouraged when we work with seniors who are proactive about warding off common health problems of aging. These are the individuals who model how to live well regardless of their body’s natural changes and their years on the calendar.”
Please call us today to discover how in-home care from Right at Home of Central New Jersey can help you or your family member achieve their goals and manage their health conditions successfully! We can provide care from a few hours a day a few days a week to overnight shifts to live-in care. We will partner with you to come up with the best plan for your family and always be available 24/7 to help. We care for your family as we would for our own!
About Right at Home of Central New Jersey – Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. The Right at Home of Central New Jersey office is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., serving the communities of Middlesex and Northern Monmouth Counties.
For more information, contact Right at Home of Central New Jersey at
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.