Health - Senior Adults
by: Jerry Price - Jul 28, 2006 - comments: 2
“The United States is on the brink of a longevity revolution. By 2030, the number of older Americans will have more than doubled to 70 million, or one in every five Americans. The growing number and proportion of older adults places increasing demands on the public health system and on medical and social services.
“Chronic diseases exact a particularly heavy health and economic burden on older adults due to associated long-term illness, diminished quality of life, and greatly increased health care costs. Although the risk of disease and disability clearly increases with advancing age, poor health is not an inevitable consequence of aging.
“Much of the illness, disability, and death associated with chronic disease is avoidable through known prevention measures. Key measures include practicing a healthy lifestyle (e.g., regular physical activity, healthy eating, and avoiding tobacco use) and the use of early detection practices (e.g., screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers, diabetes and its complications, and depression).”
Excerpted from “Healthy Aging for Older Adults,” http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/ (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) [Accessed February 20, 2006]
According to a study produced by Merck Institute of Aging and Health, the single most beneficial practice for senior adults is having a physically active lifestyle. Increased physical activity is a factor in preventing or controlling many of the health problems which lower the quality and length of life of senior adults. Regular physical activity has an effect on obesity, arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, depression, and colon cancer. The study also indicates that the physical activity need not be strenuous to achieve beneficial results. Daily walking in conjunction with other activities will offer many health benefits. Unfortunately, only about one-third of adults over 65 years of age participate in regular physical activity.
“Health Behavior Indicators,” in The State of Aging and Health in America 2004 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), 11. [Accessed February 20, 2006]
Older Americans are convinced that a good night’s sleep is necessary. A survey by Gallup Poll found that 72 percent of seniors have discussed poor sleep with their doctors. But the survey also found that slightly less than half of those are getting any kind of treatment for their sleep problems either through sleep medication or cognitive-behavior therapy.
The reality is that, as people become older, “a good night’s sleep can become an elusive dream. Behavioral changes such as napping during the day and medical conditions that interfere with sleep often beset people at a time in life when they actually have more time to rest and relax.”
Linda Lyons, Older Americans Tossing and Turning to Doctors (Gallup Poll), December 20, 2005 [Subscription required]
Tips for Older Adults
- Eat breakfast every day.
- Select high-fiber foods like whole grain breads and cereals, beans, vegetables, and fruits.
- Have three servings of low-fat milk, yogurt, or cheese a day. Dairy products are high in calcium and vitamin D and help keep your bones strong as you age. Or take a calcium and vitamin D supplement.
- Drink plenty of water. You may notice that you feel less thirsty as you get older, but your body still needs the same amount of water.
- Ask your health care provider about ways you can safely increase the amount of physical activity you do now.
- Fit physical activity into your everyday life. For example, take short walks throughout your day. You do not have to have a formal physical activity program to improve your health and stay active.
- Get enough sleep.
- Stay connected with family, friends, and community.
Tips for Older Adults (Weight-control Information Network) [Accessed February 21, 2006]
Further Learning
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2 comments (post your own) feed
1 On Mar 19th, 2007, at 2:57pm, Marina wrote:
Generally all the aging people feel depression. Make them aware about the beautiful nature. Engage them in new skills with smaller children. WBR LeoP
2 On Jan 24th, 2008, at 7:31am, robert wrote:
Taking care of ourselves physically is one thing I have never heard much about in the church. We often treat gluttony more as a joke than a sin. Being active and eating healthy cannot start just when we’re older, after the consequences of poor eating and lack of exercise begin to show. Pastors should not only model a spiritually healthy life but a physically healthy one as well.