Old Age Problems

Common Problems to Check for and Address for Healthier Aging

It is well known that as a society we are living much longer thanks to improved living conditions and health care. While being able to reach old age is something to be thankful for, in many ways, there are several challenges facing the elderly, which we all need to pay more attention to. Often it is not until we start to age ourselves or we see a loved one struggling that we sit up and take notice, but as a society, we can do more to make life easier for our aging population. This article outlines the biggest challenges that elderly people face today and how we can support them and enable them to age with dignity.

Types and symptoms of thought process disorder

Ageism and a lost sense of purpose

There are lots of outdated stereotypes about elderly people, which can lead to isolation and marginalization in a lot of communities. By coming up with innovative ways to involve older people in the community through social events, we can not only help them to maintain a sense of identity and self-esteem but also tap into the wealth of knowledge and experience they have, which is so vital for the development of society.

Memory concerns

Why: Memory concerns often cause anxiety for older adults and families. They may — or may not — reflect substantial decreases in thinking abilities. Evaluation helps by providing a more objective measure of whether a person is cognitively impaired, and to what extent. Even more importantly, evaluation can uncover treatable causes of decreased brain function, such as medication side-effects, thyroid problems, and a variety of other problems which are common in older adults.

Note: People are often reluctant to have memory concerns evaluated because they are worried that it could be Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. They also may believe that “nothing can be done.” It can help to tell people that we can often find ways to improve a person’s brain function, either by identifying and treating an underlying health problem or by encouraging the activities that promote brain health.