Health Issues in Seniors

Top Most common Health Issues across the World

Health issues

Making healthy lifestyle choices, like quitting smoking and losing weight, can help you avoid senior health risks, though “you also need to be physically active and eat a healthy diet," explains Jeanne Wei, MD, PhD,

Executive director of the Reynolds Institute on Aging at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Including a geriatrician, a doctor who specializes in the health concerns of aging, on your senior healthcare team can help you learn how to live better with any chronic diseases.

Then you too can be among the 41 percent of people over 65 who say their health is very good or excellent.

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Healthy diet and Exercises for Healthy Heart

Arthritic Joints

Arthritic:

If you have arthritis, eating a healthy diet may help to control your symptoms. It can also reduce your risk of developing other health problems such as obesity, heart disease and osteoporosis.
The CDC estimates that it affects 49.7 percent of all adults over 65 and can lead to pain and lower quality of life for some seniors. Although arthritis can discourage you from being active

it’s important to work with your doctor to develop a personalized activity plan that, along with other treatment, can help maintain senior health. 

Key points on arthritis

• Arthritis is a condition that affects the body’s joints

• It affects more women than men and can occur at any age

• If not managed, arthritis can impact on your quality of life and make daily activities a challenge (e.g. climbing the stairs or opening food jars)

• You are more likely to develop heart disease and osteoporosis with rheumatoid arthritis, but a healthy diet and lifestyle can help to protect against these diseases.

Avoid to eat in Arthritic 

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What is arthritis?

Arthritis is defined as inflammation of the joints (for example, in the fingers, hips and knees although almost any joint can be affected) and often results in pain, swelling, stiffness and fatigue. People with arthritis can experience loss of strength and grip, which may in turn make movements more difficult, and disrupt the performance of daily tasks.  In the world, around 100 million people have arthritis with it being more common in women than men, but it can affect people of all ages, including children.  While there is no known cure for arthritis, there are many ways to help to control the development and improve symptoms and quality of life through medication and lifestyle changes.

There are over two hundred types of arthritis, the most common being 

Types

1. osteoarthritis Arthritis 
2. rheumatoid Arthritis.

Heart Diseases 

Heart Disease:

According to the CDC, heart disease remains the leading killer of adults over age 65, accounting for 489,722 deaths in 2014. As a chronic condition, heart disease affects 37 percent of men and 26 percent of women 65 and older, according to the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. As people age, they're increasingly living with risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, that increase the chances of having a stroke or developing heart disease. Dr. Bernard’s advice for addressing this senior health risk not only helps with heart disease but can improve senior health across the board: “Exercise, eat well, get a good night’s rest. Eating well means eating in a fashion that will allow you to keep a healthy weight with a well-balanced and healthy diet."

Types

There are many types of heart disease that affect different parts of the organ and occur in different ways.

1. Arrhythmia
2. Coronary artery disease
3. Dilated cardiomyopathy
4. Myocardial infarction
5. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 
6. Mitral regurgitation
7. Pulmonary stenosis

kinds of Cancer

Cancer:

Throughout our lives, healthy cells in our bodies divide and replace themselves in a controlled fashion. Cancer starts when a cell is somehow altered so that it multiplies out of control. A tumor is a mass composed of a cluster of such abnormal cells.

Most cancers form tumors, but not all tumors are cancerous.

Benign, or noncancerous, tumors do not spread to other parts of the body, and do not create new tumors. Malignant, or cancerous, tumors crowd out healthy cells, interfere with body functions, and draw nutrients from body tissues.

Cancers continue to grow and spread by direct extension or through a process called metastasis, whereby the malignant cells travel through the lymphatic or blood vessels -- eventually forming new tumors in other parts of the body.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death among people over age 65, with 422,885 deaths in 2017, according to the CDC. The CDC also reports that 28 percent of men and 21 percent of women over age 65 are living with cancer. If caught early through screenings, such as mammograms, colonoscopies, and skin checks, many types of cancer are treatable. And though you're not always able to prevent cancer, you can improve your quality of life as a senior living with cancer

Types

The Major Types Of Cancer are:

Carcinoma

sarcoma

melanoma

lymphoma

leukemia                                                        

Respiratory system

Related

Prevention is better than cure

Respiratory Diseases:

Lung diseases are some of the most common medical conditions in the world. Smoking, infections, and genetics are responsible for most lung diseases.

The lungs are part of a complex apparatus, expanding and relaxing thousands of times each day to bring in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Lung disease can result from problems in any part of this system.

Chronic lower respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are the third most common cause of death among people 65 and older, with 129,693 deaths in 2017, according to the CDC. Among people 65 and older, about 10 percent of men and 13 percent of women are living with asthma, and 10 percent of men and 11 percent of women are living with chronic bronchitis or emphysema, according to the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. Although having a chronic respiratory disease increases senior health risks.

The trachea (windpipe) branches into tubes called bronchi, which in turn branch to become progressively smaller tubes throughout the lungs. Diseases that affect the airways.

Types

1. Asthma
2. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
3. Chronic bronchitis
4. Emphysema
5. Acute bronchitis
6. Cystic fibrosis

                                                

Alzheimer's diseases

Alzheimer’s Disease:

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. At first, someone with Alzheimer's disease may notice mild confusion and difficulty remembering. Eventually, people with the disease may even forget important people in their lives and undergo dramatic personality changes.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia — a group of brain disorders that cause the loss of intellectual and social skills. In Alzheimer's disease, the brain cells degenerate and die, causing a steady decline in memory and mental function.

Alzheimer’s disease accounted for 95,604 deaths of people over age 65 in 2017, according to the CDC. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that one in nine people age 65 and older, which is about 11 percent, have Alzheimer’s disease, but because diagnosis is challenging, it’s difficult to know exactly how many people are living with this chronic condition. Still, experts acknowledge that cognitive impairment has a significant impact on senior health across the spectrum, from issues of safety and self-care to the cost burden of care, either in the home or a residential facility

Types
Plaque
Tangles                             

Diabetes

Diabetes:

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. With type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. With type 2 diabetes, the more common type, your body does not make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood. You can also have prediabetes. This means that your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. Having prediabetes puts you at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause serious problems. It can damage your eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Diabetes can also cause heart disease, stroke and even the need to remove a limb. Pregnant women can also get diabetes, called gestational diabetes.

Blood tests can show if you have diabetes.

The CDC estimates that 25 percent of people ages 65 and older are living with diabetes, a significant senior health risk. According to CDC data, diabetes caused 56,161 deaths among adults over age 65 in 2017. Diabetes can be identified and addressed early with simple blood tests for blood sugar levels. The sooner you know that you have or are at risk for diabetes, the sooner you can start making changes to control the disease and improve your long-term senior health outlook.

Types

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is believed to be an autoimmune condition

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes starts as insulin resistance

Flu Influenza and pneumonia

Flu Influenza and Pneumonia:

Influenza (also known as the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The flu is different from a cold. The flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

• Fever* or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

* It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

Although the flu and pneumonia aren’t chronic conditions, these infections are among the top eight causes of death in people over age 65, according to the CDC. Seniors are more vulnerable to these diseases and less able to fight them off. Senior healthcare recommendations include getting an annual flu shot, and getting the pneumonia vaccine if recommended by your doctor, to prevent these infections and their life-threatening complications.

Falls prevention

Falls:

The natural ageing process often places older adults at an increased risk of having a fall. Falls are a common and often overlooked cause of injury in the elderly.

There are three main reasons why older people are more likely to have a fall. These are:

• chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, dementia and low blood pressure (hypotension), which can cause dizziness
• impairments, such as poor vision or muscle weakness
• illnesses that can affect balance, such as labyrinthitis (inflammation of the delicate balance regulating parts of the ear)

Chronic health conditions, such as those listed above, can sometimes cause a loss of balance, a brief loss of consciousness or fainting, or a sudden feeling of dizziness, all of which could all contribute to a fall.

The Risk For Falls requiring emergency room care increases with age. Each year, 2.5 million people ages 65 and older are treated in emergency departments because of falls, according to the CDC. That’s more than any other age group. And, one-third of people who go to the emergency room for a fall may find themselves there again within one year.

Substance abuse

Substance Abuse:

Substance abuse is when you take drugs that are not legal. It’s also when you use alcohol, prescription medicine, and other legal substances too much or in the wrong way.

Substance abuse differs from addiction. Many people with substance abuse problems are able to quit or can change their unhealthy behavior. Addiction, on the other hand, is a disease. It means you can’t stop using even when your condition causes you harm.

An analysis of data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions suggests that one in five people over 65 have had a substance or alcohol abuse problem at some point in their lives. Alcohol and tobacco topped the list of non medical substances abused by survey participants. Substance and alcohol abuse are a concern for senior health because of possible interactions with prescription medication, their impact on overall health, and the increased senior health risks, such as falls, associated with intoxication.

Obesity

Obesity:

Obesity is a condition where a person has accumulated so much body fat that it might have a negative effect on their health.If a person's body weight is at least 20% higher than it should be. he or she is considered obese. If your Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9 you are considered overweight. If your BMI is 30 or over you are considered obese. 

Obesity is an important senior health risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer — all chronic conditions that impact quality of life. As the numbers on the scale increase, so does the risk for disease. Of the adults between 65 and 74, 36.2 percent of men and 40.7 percent of women are obese

Depression 

Depression:

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.

5 to 20 percent of Americans over 65 have experienced depression. A threat to senior health, depression can lower immunity and can compromise a person’s ability to fight infections. In addition to treatment with medication and therapy, other ways to improve senior living might be to increase physical activity — 59.4 percent of adults 65 and older don’t meet CDC recommendations for exercise— or to interact socially more — seniors report spending just 8 to 11 percent of their free time with family and friends.

                                                                    

Oral Health

 Oral Health:

Oral health touches every aspect of our lives but is often taken for granted. Your mouth is a window into the health of your body. It can show signs of nutritional deficiencies or general infection. Systemic diseases, those that affect the entire body, may first become apparent because of mouth lesions or other oral problems.

Whether you are 80 or 8, your oral health is important.Healthy teeth and gums are important not just for a pretty smile and easy eating, but also for overall senior health. According to the CDC, 25 percent of adults over 65 have no natural teeth. As you age, your mouth tends to become dryer and cavities are more difficult to prevent, so proper oral health care, including regular dental checkups, should be a senior healthcare priority.

Poverty 

Poverty:

Poverty is about not having enough money to meet basic needs including food, clothing and shelter.However, poverty is more, much more than just not having enough money.

The World Bank Organization describes poverty in this way:

“Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time.

Poverty has many faces, changing from place to place and across time, and has been described in many ways.  Most often, poverty is a situation people want to escape. So poverty is a call to action -- for the poor and the wealthy alike -- a call to change the world so that many more may have enough to eat, adequate shelter, access to education and health, protection from violence, and a voice in what happens in their communities.”

Older women are slightly more likely than men to be living in poverty, and that gap widens in those over 80. Single older adults are also significantly more likely to live alone with fewer resources. Poverty affects senior health if you're unable to afford doctor visits, medication for chronic conditions, and other essential senior healthcare needs.

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