Seniors Health

Overview :

The cost of treatment varies. Cost of medical treatment will be determined by the type of procedure and whether a person has medical insurance. Health plan and Medicare coverage and copayments impact an individual's cost for various preventions and treatments.

Nutrition

Nutrition plays an important role in senior health. Not only does a well-balanced diet keep a person from becoming obese, that same diet is a safeguard against health conditions that seniors face. Proper diet can help prevent a condition like diabetes or keep it from worsening.

The senior diet should consist of foods that are low in fat, particularly saturated fat and cholesterol. A person should choose foods that provide nutrients such as iron and calcium. Other healthy menu choices include:

• fish, skinless poultry, and lean meat.
• proteins such as dry beans (red beans, navy beans, and soybeans), lentils, chickpeas, and peanuts.
• low-fat dairy products
• vegetables, especially those that are dark green and leafy
• citrus fruits or juices, melons, and berries
• whole grains like wheat, rice, oats, corn, and barley
• whole grain breads and cereals

Exercise

Physical activity should be rhythmic, repetitive, and should challenge the circulatory system. It also should be enjoyable so that a senior gets in the habit of exercising regularly for 30 minutes each day. It may be necessary to check with a doctor to determine the type of exercise that can be done.

Walking is recommended for weight loss, stress release, and many other conditions. Brisk walking is said to produce the same benefits as jogging. Other forms of exercise can include gardening, bicycling, hiking, swimming, dancing, skating or ice-skating. If weather prohibits outdoor activities, a person can work out indoors with an exercise video.

Exercise also offers a chance to socialize. In some cities, groups of seniors meet for regular walks at shopping malls. Senior centers offer exercise classes ranging from line dancing to belly dancing.

Costs for exercise range from the price of walking shoes to the fees for joining a gym.

Osteoporosis

Prevention is the best method of treating osteoporosis. Methods of preventing osteoporosis include regular weight-bearing exercise such as walking, jogging, weight lifting, yoga, and stair climbing.

People should not smoke since smoking makes the body produce less estrogen. Care should be taken to avoid falling.

Diet should include from 1,000-1,300 mg. of calcium each day. Sources of calcium include:

• leafy, dark-green vegetables such as spinach, kale, mustard greens, and turnip greens
• low-fat dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheeses such as cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, and parmesan; also helpful are foods made with milk such as pudding and soup
• canned fish such as salmon, sardine, and anchovies
• tortillas made from lime-processed corn
• tofu processed with calcium-sulfate
• calcium and vitamin D tablets

MEDICAL TREATMENT. An x ray will indicate bone loss when much of the density has decreased. A more effective way of detecting osteoporosis is the DEXA-scan (dual-energy x-ray absorbtiometry). This whole-body scan will indicate whether a person is at risk for fractures. It could be useful for people at risk for osteoporosis as well as women near the age of menopause or older. People should ask their doctors about whether this test is needed.

During menopause, a woman loses estrogen. A pill or skin patch containing estrogen and progesterone eases symptoms of menopause has been used to treat osteoporosis. This treatment is known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT). In 2002, the Women's Health Initiative found that HRT produced harmful effects in postmenopausal women, including increased incidence of breast cancer, heart disease and dementia. The effects were bad enough to stop the study. In 2003, researchers were looking for alternatives to HRT for women who had been using the hormones for osteoporosis. Until an alternative is identified, women and physicians have been advised to closely weigh the risks and benefits of hormone therapy. Several drugs are available to help reduce the risk of fractures in seniors with osteoporosis. In 2003, the FDA approved a new treatment option called Teriparatide. Some alternative treatments show promise in studies, including SAMe, (S-adenosylmethionine). However, long-term safety and effectiveness of SAMe have yet to be established.

Osteoarthritis

Treatments for osteoarthritis range from preventative measures such as walking to joint replacement surgery. Treatment costs vary from no cost for soaking a joint in cold water, the price of over-the-counter remedies to fees for surgery.

Preventive and maintenance remedies include low-impact exercise such as swimming and walking, along with maintaining proper posture. Nutritional aids include foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits and broccoli. Also recommended is daily consumption of 400 international units of Vitamin E. Cutting back on fats, sugar, salt, cholesterol, and alcohol helps relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

HOME REMEDIES AND PHYSICAL THERAPY. The Arthritis Foundation recommends several remedies for easing pain. To treat inflammation, a person should use a cold treatment. Methods include soaking the affected area in cold water or applying an ice pack. To soothe aches and stimulate circulation, a person applies heat to the affected area for 20 minutes. This should be done three times a day.

Over-the-counter (OTC) remedies such as aspirin and ibuprofen and salves containing capsaicin can be helpful. Furthermore, a doctor may recommend anti-inflammatory medications.

SURGICAL TREATMENT. If osteoarthritis is suspected, a doctor's diagnosis will include an assessment of whether joint pain is part of a patient's medical history. The doctor may take an x ray to determine the presence of cartilage loss and how much degeneration occurred.

Acupuncture may be helpful in treating mild osteoarthritis. Generally, a person should have one to two treatments a week for several weeks. Afterward, one treatment is recommended. An assessment of results should be made after 10 treatments.

In cases of severe osteoarthritis, joint replacement surgery or joint immobilization may be required. Joints are replaced with metal, plastic, or ceramic material.

Fall prevention

Fall prevention starts with regular exercise such as walking. This improves balance and muscles. The walk route should be on level ground. Other methods for preventing falls include:

• when rising from a chair or bed, a senior should move slowly to avoid dizziness
• people who smoke should quit
• shoes with low heels and rubber soles are recommended
• medications should be monitored because of side effects that increase the probability of a fall
• vision and hearing should be checked periodically
• fall-proofing the home, including the installation of lighting, especially on stairways, clearing clutter and electrical cords that can cause falls, and installing handrails and strips in bathtubs and rails on stairs.

MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR FALLS. After a fall, a senior may need first aid treatment for cuts or fractures. The doctor may evaluate whether medications cause balance problems. If indicated, the doctor may examine the patient's central nervous system function, balance, and muscle/joint function. A hearing or vision test may be ordered.

Corrective measures could include adjusting prescriptions, vision surgery or having the patient use a cane or walker.

Vision

A person diagnosed with presbyopia may need bifocals or reading glasses to read print that appears too small. These lenses may need to be changed as vision changes over the years. Eventually, a person relies on glasses to focus on items that are near. Other seniors who never needed corrective lenses may need to wear eyeglasses. Publishers aware of this condition produce books with large print.

A senior should schedule periodic vision exams because early treatment helps prevent or lessen a risk of cataracts or glaucoma. Diet also plays a role in vision care. Dark green vegetables like broccoli are said to help prevent cataracts from progressing. Physical exercise is thought to reduce the pressure associated with glaucoma.

Glaucoma can be treated with eyedrops. Surgery can remove cataracts. The affected lens is removed and replaced with a permanent synthetic lens called an intraocular lens. There was no successful treatment for age-related macular degeneration as of 2001.

Hearing

An audiologist can administer tests to determine the amount of hearing loss. Although there is no cure for presbycusis, hearing aids can help a senior affected by age-related hearing loss. If this treatment is not effective, the person might need to learn to read lips.

Sleep disorders

Losing weight can help with conditions such as snoring and sleep apnea. A doctor may advise the senior to quit smoking, reduce alcohol consumption, or to sleep on his or her side. In some cases, a doctor may refer the senior to a sleep disorder clinic. The senior may be prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure device. Known as a CPAP, the device is placed over the nose. It sends air into the nose.

PLMD and restless leg syndrome may be treated with the prescription drug Dopar. These disorders could be signs of kidney or circulation conditions. Treatment of those conditions should end these sleeping disorders.

Insomnia treatments include exercising and treating depression, stress, and other causes of sleeplessness.

Mental health

After retirement, a senior must find activities and interests to provide a sense of fulfillment. Otherwise, feelings of loneliness and isolation can lead to depression and susceptibility to poor health.

Activities that stimulate a person physically and intellectually contribute to good health. A senior can start an exercise program, take up hobbies, take classes, or volunteer. Senior centers offer numerous activities. Lunch programs provide nutritional meals and companionship. This is important because a senior living alone may not feel motivated to prepare healthy meals.

Dementia

Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease starts with a thorough medical examination. The doctor should administer memory tests. Blood tests may be required, as well as a CT scan or MRI scan of the brain. If Alzheimer's is diagnosed, the doctor may prescribe medication to slow down progression of this form of dementia.

As of 2003, the FDA had approved four prescription medications for treatment of Alzheimer's. Tacrine, donepezil, riviastigmine, and galantamine are cholinesterase inhibitors that enhance memory. Modest improvement was reported in clinical trials on donepezil, riviastigmine, and galantamine. Tacrine's possible side effects include liver damage, so it is seldom prescribed.