The term “age related disease” is one that is used a lot more today than it ever was before, but what exactly does this mean? To put it in the simplest terms, an age related disease is an illness or condition that occurs with higher frequency in the senior population. They might not necessarily be exclusive to the senior population, but it is much more common to find someone that is in their senior years suffering from one of these diseases than it is someone who is in their 30s, for example.
Some of the more common age related diseases include arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, respiratory diseases (like COPD), heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, depression, and shingles. While not diseases per se, things like poverty, substance abuse, and a heightened risk of injury through falls or other household accidents are also exacerbated as people age.
Now that we have a better idea of what an age related disease is, and what it might include, there’s a really important question that we should follow up with: what can be done to help prevent these issues?
In reality, a lot of our health issues (or lack of) are determined by choices we make long before we are senior citizens. Statistics suggest that if you live to age 65, you are likely going to live for another 19-plus years. That’s great news, but it is data that can be misleading. This is a very general look at an entire population, and does not pay any heed to individuals. When it comes to senior care, we are focused on individuals. What your mom or dad needs might be very different from what my mom needs when it comes to her care. Looking at general trends is fine, but when it comes to decision making, that’s something that should be left to politicians and those in other positions of responsibility. When it comes to the care of your family member, that data is fairly worthless. All that matters in your decision making is what their needs, limitations, and desires are.
Encouraging your elderly loved ones to pick up healthy habits now can go a long way toward helping them. It’s never too late to make changes for the better. For example, there are physiological changes that take place within the body within just a few hours of quitting smoking. Starting out with small amounts of exercise can be an almost immediate boost to mental health levels for some, too. If you are worried about your loved one’s health, having a senior care plan in place, such as an in-home care professional, can provide them with supervision and help ease your mind, too.
If you’re unsure how your parent’s age related needs fit in with a senior care plan, feel free to get in touch with us at Paradise In-Home Care today to schedule a free consultation. If we can be of any help to you, we will let you know. And if there are better choices out there for you, we will let you know that, too. Our goal is to help people live better lives, and hopefully we can help your family in this regard.
Leave a Reply