Common Old Age Problems – Causes & How to Control Them

Age-related Health Issues

Here is a list of some common old age problems and tips on how to manage them:

1. Heart health

What happens: Feeling breathless quiet frequently, difficulty to run or jog, frequent palpitations, and changes in blood pressure levels are commonly seen in old age.

Why it happens: This happens mainly because the heart muscles gradually become hard and less flexible which puts a considerable amount of strain on the heart.

How to manage it: Staying active and physically fit is highly advisable as when you exercise the heart muscles stay fit which helps in beating the age-related cardiac issues.

2. Brittle bones

What happens: When ageing, the bones become more prone to injury and even a small accident can result into a fracture.

Why it happens: This happens because of low calcium absorption which results inlower bone density thereby leading to development of disorders such as arthritis and osteoporosis.

How to manage it: The best way to manage this is by increasing the intake of calcium and iron.

3. Urinary issues

What happens: Urinary problems are one of the most prominent age-related disorders wherein the person feels the need for frequent urination.

Why it happens: This happens because with ageing the bladder becomes stiff and less elastic thereby hampering its functioning to a great extent. This results in common urinary problems.

How to manage it: One must exercise frequently to strengthen their lower abdomen muscles. Kegel exercises are especially helpful in such cases and they bring excellent results.

4. Memory loss

What happens: With ageing, many senior citizens complain of lowered memory and fall in their analytic skills whereinthey are unable to evaluate results, solve problems or quickly understand a critical problem.

Why it happens: This happens because with time nerves in the brain shrink and the neurons become less powerful thereby hampering memory and thinking skills of an individual.

How to manage it: Solving puzzles, being socially active and leading a stress-free life can greatly help to improve the mental health of a person.

5. Dental Health

What happens: With age, the gum recede which makes the teeth unsteady and in severe cases, they might even fall off resulting in difficulty in chewing and speaking properly.

Why it happens: This predominantly happens becauseof plaque build-up over years due to improper oral hygiene.

How to manage it: One must brush their teethtwice a day from an early age.Also, visiting a dentist at least once a year for regular check-up and cleaning can help to maintain oral health.

Factors Influencing Healthy Ageing

Factors, including the society/community people grow up in, their age, their economic status, ethnic origins, and unique characteristics, can significantly affect old age problems. These physical and social surroundings influence certain lifestyle behaviours that induce healthy ageing. Some important behaviours are eating a balanced diet daily, engaging in regular physical exercise for at least an hour daily, and staying away from tobacco products and alcohol.

The elderly who follow these healthy habits protect themselves from falling prey to contagious diseases and mental ailments. This also reduces the instances of depending on care facilities.

When the environment is supportive, elderly people can survive independently, even if they have certain issues. Some examples of supportive surroundings are safe transport, public amenities friendly to elderly people, spaces exclusively designed for the hindrance-free movement of elderly people, and the like. All these facilities help elderly people stay healthy and aid in quick recovery from physical and mental ailments.