Aging or becoming older is an inevitable, natural process. Extra attention to your elderly keeps mental, emotional, and physical health in check. Signs of aging include grey hair, laugh lines, wrinkles, fatty tissue below the skin, skin tags, a little stopped posture, and forgetfulness are normal.
Growing age may increase the risk of some health conditions in the elderly. However, signs like forgetfulness are not always just an indication of aging. People often link forgetfulness, hearing loss, blurry vision, or joint pain as part of aging merely. Let’s be more attentive to our elderly. Get expert guidance at the best old age care in Siliguri.
Given below are some old-age concerning health issues we should not overlook:
- Arthritis also termed joint inflammation, takes place in one or more joints, resulting in stiffness and pain. Older age may worsen the condition. Signs like joint pain, joint redness, joint swelling, or reduced motion range may pinpoint arthritis. Get your loved one checked up under medical supervision.
- Cardiovascular problems are a group of conditions concerning the heart and blood vessels. Different types of cardiovascular conditions include heart rhythmic problems, stroke, heart valve disease, high blood pressure, the heart’s major blood vessels disease, etc. With older age, blood vessels become stiffened. And that might put one at risk of CVD.
- Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by excessive blood sugar build-up in the bloodstream. Older adults may be at risk of type 2 diabetes because of age-related insulin resistance. The risk might increase if the individual has a pre-existing cardiovascular condition such as high blood pressure. Excessive thirst, slow-healing cuts, sores, unintended weight loss, frequent urination, fatigue, blurry vision, and irritability are some common symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
- Oral health concerns may uplift in older adults. Gum disease refers to an infection that can damage gums and jawbones. Poor oral hygiene accounts for gum disease. This dental condition tends to develop progressively, involving signs like bright red gums, gums that bleed easily, painful chewing, loose teeth, tender gums, puffy gums, receding gums, loss of teeth, bad breath.
- Kidney and bladder problems may be aging-associated risks. The elderly might experience urinary incontinence/urine leakage, urinary tract infections, urinary retention/inability to empty the bladder completely, etc. The bladder walls/muscles get stiffer or weaker with older age. Men over the age of 65 are more likely to develop an enlarged prostate gland.
Besides physical health concerns, there are some mental health concerns in older adults, such as self-isolation, dementia, anxiety, confusion, mood disorders. Routine health check-ups, spending some time with them and feeding them nutritious food are necessary for their well-being.
