7 Health Challenges of Aging

Experts explain how to prepare for the health

issues people face as they age.
By Leanna Skarnulis
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
WebMD Archive

"If I'd known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of
myself." So said Eubie Blake, the great ragtime composer and pianist
who was still performing at the age of 99, the year before his death.
Let's face it: old age is what lies ahead. If you're 40 or 50 or even 60,
you might not give much thought to the health challenges of aging. But
just as planning for future financial needs is important, so is planning
for optimum health.

What should you prepare for, and how? WebMD talked to experts
about the major health issues. While some diseases, such as
Alzheimer's and certain cancers, continue to confound researchers, a
great number can be prevented, forestalled, or minimized with a
healthy lifestyle and regular health screenings.

Sharon Brangman, MD, AGSF, spokeswoman for the American

Geriatrics Society, tells WebMD, "The more you do in middle age to
prepare yourself for successful aging, the better."
 Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
About three-fourths of adults aged 60 and older are overweight or
obese. Obesity is related to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease,
breast and colon cancer, gall bladder disease, and high blood
pressure.

More than 40% of adults 60 and older have a combination of risk

factors known as metabolic syndrome, which puts people at increased
risk for developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain
cancers. It is characterized by:

 Waist measurement greater than 40 inches in men, 35 inches in

women (apple-shaped body)
 Triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher
 HDL "good" cholesterol level less than 40mg/dL in men, 50 mg/dL in
women
 Blood pressure of 130/85 or higher
 Fasting glucose level of 110 mg/dL or higher
"Women in perimenopause and menopause tend to accumulate fat
around the waist and hips, and men get the gut," says Brangman.
"The best way to fight it is with increasing exercise, reducing alcohol
intake -- because a lot of alcohol calories go right to the gut -- and
reducing calorie intake. Also, increase your healthy fat intake --
omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats. And eliminate trans fats
completely because there's no safe amount of those."

She also advises avoiding foods sweetened with high-fructose corn

syrup. The common sweetener is found in everything from sodas to
breakfast cereal to low-fat yogurt. "In middle age, we should eat foods
as close to naturally prepared as possible."

Arthritis
Arthritis affects nearly half the elderly population and is a leading
cause of disability. "Old injuries from playing weekend warrior or high
school football, and years of wearing high-heeled shoes catch up with
us," says Brangman. "And arthritis in the knees is the price we pay for
walking upright on two legs." The keys to prevention: avoid overuse,
do steady, regular exercise rather than in weekend spurts, and stop if
you feel pain. "The adage, 'no pain, no gain,' is not true."

And managing your weight is just as essential for joint health as

cardiovascular health. The Framingham osteoarthritis study showed
that a weight loss of just 11 pounds could reduce the risk of
developing osteoarthritis in the knees by 50%.

Osteoporosis and Falls

Osteoporosis and low bone mass affect almost 44 million adults age
50 and older, most of them women. According to the National
Osteoporosis Association, osteoporosis is not part of normal aging.
Healthy behaviors and treatment, when appropriate, can prevent or
minimize the condition.

In a given year, more than one-third of adults age 65 and older

experience a fall. Twenty percent to 30% of those who fall suffer
injuries that decrease mobility and independence; falls are the leading
cause of death from injury in this age group.
"Stop smoking, watch your alcohol intake, get plenty of calcium, and
limit foods with high acidic content," says Brangman. "Avoid sodas.
They encourage loss of calcium. Our bodies always maintain calcium,
and when there's not enough coming in from our diet, it comes out
from our bones. One reason women are especially at risk for
osteoporosis is that if they've had children; it takes a whole lot of
calcium to develop a baby, and that calcium is taken from the mother's
bones if she's not getting enough in her diet." Adults in middle age
need 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily.

Vitamin D, "the sunshine vitamin," is also important. Using sunscreens

to protect against skin cancer is wise, but sunscreens block ultraviolet
rays the body needs to make vitamin D. Furthermore, with age our
bodies become less efficient at making vitamin D from sunlight,
Brangman tells WebMD. "There is a move to get the FDA to increase
the minimum requirement for vitamin D to at least 800 and maybe
1,000 units. Most multiple vitamins contain 400 units. Make sure
you're getting enough from low-fat dairy products, or take a
supplement."

Weight-bearing exercise also helps to keep bones healthy. "If you're

not exercising, starting at any age is beneficial," says Brangman. "It's
never too late, but the sooner the better."

Cancer
Risk for developing most types of cancer increases with age.

"As women age, the rate of cervical cancer decreases, and

endometrial cancer increases," says Brangman. "Sometimes women
slack off gynecological exams after their childbearing years, but I still
think it's important for women to get regular exams."

The risk of prostate cancer increases with age, and black men have a
higher rate than white men. Screening should start in your 40s, and at
the very least should involve a digital rectal examination.

Lung cancer accounts for more deaths than breast cancer, prostate
cancer, and colon cancer combined. Brangman's advice: "Stop
smoking."

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

Younger baby boomers take heed: cardiovascular disease (CVD)
affects more than one-third of men and women in the 45- to 54-year
age group, and the incidence increases with age. Cardiovascular
diseases, which are diseases of the heart or blood vessels, are the
leading cause of death in the U.S. They include arteriosclerosis,
coronary heart disease,arrhythmia, heart failure, hypertension,
orthostatic hypotension, stroke, and congenital heart disease.

Osteoporosis and Falls

Osteoporosis and low bone mass affect almost 44 million adults age
50 and older, most of them women. According to the National
Osteoporosis Association, osteoporosis is not part of normal aging.
Healthy behaviors and treatment, when appropriate, can prevent or
minimize the condition.

In a given year, more than one-third of adults age 65 and older

experience a fall. Twenty percent to 30% of those who fall suffer
injuries that decrease mobility and independence; falls are the leading
cause of death from injury in this age group.

"Stop smoking, watch your alcohol intake, get plenty of calcium, and
limit foods with high acidic content," says Brangman. "Avoid sodas.
They encourage loss of calcium. Our bodies always maintain calcium,
and when there's not enough coming in from our diet, it comes out
from our bones. One reason women are especially at risk for
osteoporosis is that if they've had children; it takes a whole lot of
calcium to develop a baby, and that calcium is taken from the mother's
bones if she's not getting enough in her diet." Adults in middle age
need 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily.

Vitamin D, "the sunshine vitamin," is also important. Using sunscreens

to protect against skin cancer is wise, but sunscreens block ultraviolet
rays the body needs to make vitamin D. Furthermore, with age our
bodies become less efficient at making vitamin D from sunlight,
Brangman tells WebMD. "There is a move to get the FDA to increase
the minimum requirement for vitamin D to at least 800 and maybe
1,000 units. Most multiple vitamins contain 400 units. Make sure
you're getting enough from low-fat dairy products, or take a
supplement."

Weight-bearing exercise also helps to keep bones healthy. "If you're

not exercising, starting at any age is beneficial," says Brangman. "It's
never too late, but the sooner the better."

Cancer
Risk for developing most types of cancer increases with age.
"As women age, the rate of cervical cancer decreases, and
endometrial cancer increases," says Brangman. "Sometimes women
slack off gynecological exams after their childbearing years, but I still
think it's important for women to get regular exams."

The risk of prostate cancer increases with age, and black men have a
higher rate than white men. Screening should start in your 40s, and at
the very least should involve a digital rectal examination.

Lung cancer accounts for more deaths than breast cancer, prostate
cancer, and colon cancer combined. Brangman's advice: "Stop
smoking."

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

Younger baby boomers take heed: cardiovascular disease (CVD)
affects more than one-third of men and women in the 45- to 54-year
age group, and the incidence increases with age. Cardiovascular
diseases, which are diseases of the heart or blood vessels, are the
leading cause of death in the U.S. They include arteriosclerosis,
coronary heart disease,arrhythmia, heart failure, hypertension,
orthostatic hypotension, stroke, and congenital heart disease.

Teeth
The good news is that you'll probably keep your own teeth, and
implants and bleaching can make your teeth look years younger than
the rest of your body. Only about 25% of people over age 60 wear
dentures today.

"I practice in Framingham, Minn., a small, middle-class town, and I

haven't done dentures in five years," says Kimberly Harms, DDS,
consumer advisor for the American Dental Association. "That's
because of a lifetime of good dental health and diet. Unfortunately, the
people who haven't had a lifetime of good health care and healthy
practices are at risk for losing their teeth."

She advises brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, flossing

daily to remove plaque, and visiting your dentist regularly.

Mental Health: Memory and Emotional Well-being

Forget what you think you know about memory loss and old age. It is
not inevitable. So why do so many people say, "My memory isn't what
it used to be," or "I'm having a senior moment?" Stress, anxiety, and
mental overload are most likely responsible. "Stop multitasking," says
Brangman, who is professor and division chief and geriatric medicine
director at the Central New York Alzheimer's Disease Center, SUNY
Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y. "Our brains are made for
us to do one thing at a time. Multitasking overloads the brain so
people aren't remembering things and get concerned they're having
memory problems."

Doing the things that keep your heart healthy will also keep your brain
healthy. "The same blood vessels that go to the heart branch off and
go to the brain. Exercise, control your blood pressure, quit smoking,
and if you have diabetes, keep it under control."

She says the evidence of alcohol's benefits is mixed. "Hard alcohol

seems to be of no benefit, but wine may be. Moderation is the key."

Staying mentally active is as important as staying physically active,

says Raymond L. Crowel, PsyD, vice president for mental health and
substance abuse services for Mental Health America in Alexandria,
Va. (The organization was formerly known as the National Mental
Health Association.) Join a book club, stay up on current events,
engage in stimulating conversations, and do crossword puzzles. "The
new rage is Sudoku puzzles. They're absorbing and require a
tremendous amount of concentration, and there's a lot of satisfaction
in getting it right."

One of the perplexing problems of aging is Alzheimer's disease. About

3% of men and women aged 65 to 74 have Alzheimer's disease, and
nearly half of those aged 85 and older may have the disease. "We're
not aware of anything people can do to prevent Alzheimer's
or dementia, but we're learning new things about the brain every day,"
Crowel tells WebMD.

Among all age groups, depression is often underdiagnosed and

untreated. Many people mistakenly believe that depression is a
natural condition of old age. Of the nearly 35 million Americans aged
65 and older, an estimated 2 million have a depressive illness and 5
million more may have depressive symptoms that fall short of meeting
full diagnostic criteria.

Mental Health: Memory and Emotional Well-being

continued...
"When you get older, you're dealing with life-change issues," says
Crowel. "Kids leaving home, health problems, loss of parents and
friends, and retirement become issues. We notice that all the
basketball players are younger than us, and the music and ads are for
a younger demographic." He advises anticipating and preparing for
the changes to come.

One of the biggest life changes is retirement. Many people have their
sense of worth tied up with work. In retirement, depression and suicide
rates rise.

"Prepare for retirement by thinking about what some call 'the second
act,'" says Crowel. "What would you have wanted to do if you hadn't
done your career? Jimmy Carter is a perfect example. After his
presidency, he went on to become a humanitarian, working on behalf
of international human rights and Habitat for Humanity."

Recognize that some physical abilities will decline, but giving up

sports altogether isn't the answer. "People who are active in sports
such as basketball or football should think ahead to activities such as
golf or water polo that put less stress on the joints."

Also recognize in your 40s and 50s that parents and grandparents
won't be around forever. "In anticipation of their getting old and dying,
making contact and tying up loose ends can be useful."

Even though family and friends may be gone or distant, the loneliness
that's often associated with old age is not inevitable. "Reach out to
new people, and even think about being a 'grandparent' to a younger
family," says Crowel. "When I was 27, my wife and I moved to
Washington, D.C., and a 94-year-old woman befriended us. She
showed us the city and cooked for us, and we gardened together. We
got a grandmother, and she got companionship. I'll cherish that
forever."
He adds that nurturing your spiritual side may be in order as you get
older and face mortality. "For many people who have drifted away
from religion or spiritual practice, it's sometimes comforting to
reassess that. Do I need to connect with my religion or spend time
becoming the spiritual person I want to become? Pay attention to it if
it's important to you.

"Finally, just the way you figure out your finances, figure out what you
need to make you happy, and if you have a medical problem or mental
health problem, how will you deal with it," says Crowel. "Make some
strategic decisions about how you want to live your life."

Do Your Part
Much of the illness, disability, and deaths associated with chronic
disease are avoidable through known prevention measures, including
a healthy lifestyle, early detection of diseases, immunizations, injury
prevention, and programs to teach techniques to self-manage
conditions such as pain and chronic diseases according to the CDC.

And while the future will undoubtedly bring medical advances in

treatments and cures, Brangman advises taking care of what you
have. "Our original parts are the best. If you can keep your own parts,
that's the best way to go."
http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/aging-health-challenges?page=5
Health Tips for the Elderly and Seniors

By JO GODDEN - 2008-01-25

Feed your body with the correct foods. You wouldn't expect your car
to work efficiently if you fed it the incorrect fuel. So feed your body
with nutritious foods that contain the necessary vitamins and
minerals in order for it to return optimum performance.

1. Don't begrudge spending money on your own comfort, health and

quality of life. You deserve it!

FOR THE OVER-60'S - The government's annual fuel allowance of Pds200

is meant to be used for our warmth and comfort, and to ease the worry of
the increased heating bill.

The Winter Fuel Payments Help line is 0845 9 151515 If you are receiving
a disability or income-related benefit, you may be able to claim a grant of
up to Pds2,500 for insulation and heating improvements. Call Home Energy
Efficiency Scheme 0800 952 0600. If you receive disability and income-
related benefits you can claim Cold Weather Payments if the temperature
falls below 00 C for 7 consecutive days.

There is also the Staywarm scheme. For a fixed charge you can use as
much gas or electricity as you need. 0800 1 694 694

Finally, if you are unable to pay your winter fuel bill, in the first instance
contact your supplier explaining your problem and informing them that you
are a pensioner. Good news worth remembering, is that electricity
companies and British Gas have a policy of not disconnecting pensioners
between 1 October and 31 March - so keep warm and don't panic.

- - - - - . . . . AND DO YOU NEED REMINDING - DON'T WASTE YOUR

MONEY AND HEALTH ON CIGARETTES. RESEARCHERS TELL US
THAT THE AVERAGE BRITISH SMOKER WILL SPEND Pds91,832.43 ON
CIGARETTES IN A LIFETIME. (Now, I've never smoked so I wonder what
happened to my Pds91,OOO?) - - - - -

2. Keep your mind active, crosswords, sudoka, hobbies, etc.

NEVER STOP LEARNING. If you have an interested mind, people are

more likely to enjoy your company and be interested in you.

3. Keep your body active.

As the saying goes, if you don't use it, you'll lose it Walk in the fresh air if
possible. If you enjoy company while you are walking then join a rambling
group. (Often 'rambling clubs' for the retired are more socially inclined
'ambling clubs'). Gardening combines the benefits of fresh air, exercise and
the results can give you immeasurable pleasure. Dancing; particularly
formation or line dancing exercises the memory also. Swimming, is a
particularly good exercise for all parts of the body with the added
advantage that the water is supporting you and therefore there is no weight
on the joints.

4. Feed your body with the correct foods.

You wouldn't expect your car to work efficiently if you fed it the incorrect
fuel. So feed your body with nutritious foods that contain the
necessary vitamins and minerals in order for it to return optimum
performance. With winter approaching we need to build up our immune
system, so in addition to a well balanced diet of fresh fruit, fresh
vegetables and nourishing protein (laced with the benefits of virgin olive oil
and garlic), we should add a few supplements to help us on our way. In
addition to a good multi-vitamin tablet, you'll probably benefit from
extra Vitamin C, Echinacea, EPA fish oils, selenium, ginko biloba to aid
circulation, particularly to the extremities, and glucosomine to help with
those aching joints.
Don't forget your flu jab and the jab against pneumonia for the over 70's.
There is also really excellent news on the common cold front. At long last
there appears to be something that stops a cold developing. Vicks First
Defence is a spray that you use at the first sign of a cold and it stops the
cold virus in its tracks. This miracle goes on sale during October 05.

5 Socialise.

Possibly I don't have to remind you about this as the majority of retired folk
I meet complain that they are busier now than ever they were, that there
are not enough hours in the day, and they wonder how they ever found
time to go to work.

There are so many clubs and groups to join. To name a few popular ones,
U3A (University of the Third Age) for both sexes and with interesting
speakers, and offering numerous sub sections for specific group interests
and hobbies, Women's Institute, (has gained a new image after the film
Calendar Girls), Townswomen's Guild, Gardening Clubs, Art Clubs, etc.,
and many clubs aimed specifically at the retired.

If transport is a problem, remember most local authorities offer free or

reduced bus fares for senior citizens and travel tokens for the disabled.
There is a Senior Railcard for reduced train fares for the over 60's. National
Express have a Routesixty Scheme which enables over 60's to travel
nationwide very cheaply (Tel 08705 808080). Also, occasionally, National
Express offer their 'go anywhere for Pds5 scheme'.

If you have difficulty in getting around the town, then there is Shopmobility
where you can hire mobility scooters (various models and sizes available)
and electric and manual wheelchairs. Shopmobility is usually manned by
helpers who will be only too pleased to instruct and allow you to practice
before you are let loose on the town. Also there is the added advantage
that there is usually a free car park attached to Shopmobility for clients'
convenience. If you have difficulty in using public transport, often local
authorities provide a 'dial-a-ride' service from your home to the shopping
centre.

Well, whatever you do - E N J O Y I T! We were always told that laughter is

the best medicine and now we know it to be true - it raises the serotonin
levels in the brain and gives you that 'feel good' factor.

Visit Mabels...Maintaining Bygone Times, containing numerous articles

thoughtfully researched mainly for the older person. You may access these
articles by visiting http://www.mabels.org.uk/ - You will learn about the best
tips to improve your health, fitness, finances, safety as well as information
on nostalgic topics, places to visit, leisure & lifestyle, mobility & helpful
organisations to make the most out of life.

- See more at: http://www.disabled-

world.com/artman/publish/elderly.shtml#sthash.cJJFiOPT.dpuf

http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/elderly.shtml