Elderly Care - Ageing Physically

Ageing Physically

As age catches up, the elderly will still continue to live a productive and satisfying life but, undeniably, the physical body does go through changes and the proof that one has aged come in the form of aches and pains, failing eyesight, lighter hearing, weight gain, wrinkles, losing an inch or two in height.  In fact, every single part of our body slowly undergo changes as we aged and some of the physical changes to expect are:

Eyes

You will experience dry eyes, floaters, judgemental problems as you will have a problem judging the depth of an object, become either near or far sighted and cataract.

Ears

Our environment especially if you are an urbanite, is noisy and disruptive to the ears.  After many years of such tolerance, it is only natural that the ears will slowly deteriorate and by the time you aged, you will have a certain level of hearing problem.

Teeth

As with the eyes, the mouth gets drier as you aged and this gives rise to gum disease, bad breath and tooth decay.

Skin

One of the most visible sign of aging, unless with the help of plastic surgery, we cannot cover it up like the hair where we can have it dyed.    After years in today's environment as well as the sky that continues to lose its ozone layer, the sun as well as the environment adds lifelines to our skin.

Bones

The bones thin down as age catches up.  This gives rise to bone fractures, hump, osteoporosis, aches and pains, loss in height and fatigue.  Hip fractures affect more than 65% of the aged population.

Heart

Coronary heart disease is the most common disease of elderly people and this is not surprising, unless one has been very disciplined and has taken care of the body well, the food that we consume, the bottles of medicine and supplements, the alcohol, the cigarettes , the air that we breathe all contribute to the health of our hearts and as age goes by, the arteries are clogged with waste and cholesterol deposits, we may experience skipped heart beats, arrhythmias and fast heart beats.  Be vigilant and be obeying if you are under medication now for your heart problems.  Do not go off medication unless advised by doctor and do not just continue taking medication without further follow up with the doctor.  With proper and dilligent care, your heart can and will last a long time.

Lungs

There will be less air with each breath you take and this will lead to less oxygen being distributed to the blood stream.  You may find it difficult to breath when exerting yourself or climbing up to your room.

Kidneys

There will be a decrease in blood flow to your kidneys and as a result urine may be more concentrated unless you monitor and drink enough fluids.

Veins

One of the nightmares of growing old is the increase in varicose veins which are caused by weakened vein walls and valves.

Digestion

Digestive system and appetite is not that great as you aged so tailor your meals according to your appetite to avoid heartburn due to over-eating.  The most common ailments in the elderly that has to do with digestion is usually heartburn, pain above stomach, lower abdominal pain cramps and sharp stomach cramps.

Incontinence

Incontinence is the loss of bladder or bowel control and is a common ailment for all elderly.  The cause in old age is primarily due to weakened muscle.

Menopause

Menopause is the time in a woman's life that the ovaries stop producing eggs and menstruation starts lagging until it stops completely.  This happens around the age of 45 to 55.  Menopause symptoms are caused by hormonal changes and these can drag five or more years after the last menstrual period.  For women who are postmenopausal, it is advisable that certain health check tests be sought in order to be prepared and screening to catch diseases such as osteroporosis, cervical cancer, fibroids etc before the condition happens.

Breast Cancers

Most women are on hormone replacement therapy to help to supplement the loss of estrogen especially after menopause.  One of the side effects of  HRT is the higher risk of getting breast cancer.  Do have a physical examination of your breast regularly and this can be done at home and on your own.  If you suspect anything, do not hesitate to seek a doctor and for a breast mammography to be done.

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