Getting older involves changes in all realms of life, from the physical to the mental to the social, emotional and more. Getting older also means getting responsible for the future of our own family, such as being responsible with wills and estate planning with the help of a professional will planning attorney. Adapting to aging and chronic illness can be challenging for the caregiver as well! Positive coping tools can help both elder caregivers and adult family members better manage illnesses that impact everyday life at home and in the community. Knowing what mental and physical changes normally occur with age is the first step toward protecting a senior’s health.
Your Bones- Bones become thinner and more brittle with age as they lose mass, or density sometimes resulting in osteoporosis. Exercise can help reduce the severity of bone loss and associated bone fractures by allowing your body to create new bone tissue and strengthening the muscles surrounding bones to help hold them in place during movement accidents. If you are having foot pain issues, you may consider using foot orthotics for relief.
Your Heart- As you age, your large arteries become stiffer, a condition called arteriosclerosis, contributing to higher blood pressure. Risk of heart disease also increases due to a fatty buildup of plaque in your artery walls caused by an unhealthy diet and obesity; smoking contributes to inflammation around the heart that can harden and narrow blood vessels and ultimately result in heart attacks. Ask your doctor for recommendations on how to best manage your heart health through nutrition and exercise and try to quit smoking if you smoke or use tobacco in any form to reduce your risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular conditions associated with old age such as stroke.
Your Digestive System- As you age, your digestive tract slows down and doesn’t contract as often as it did when you were younger, which can lead to constipation, stomach pain, and feelings of nausea. Keep your bowels and digestive system moving with regularity by drinking lots of water throughout the day and eating meals that are rich in fiber including fruits vegetables nuts and whole grains as well as herbal teas that can also stimulate good ol’ “business.” Be especially careful to avoid having too much sugar in your diet as it can be a source of irritation and inflammation, which can make your stomach ache or cause diarrhea especially after eating foods that stress digestion. If you have hemorrhoids, you can look into internal hemorrhoid treatment.
While many of these bodily changes are a natural part of aging, they don’t have to slow you down. What’s more, there’s a lot you can do to protect your body and keep it as healthy as possible. Take the opportunity to arrange routines that will assist you with your day-to-day tasks so that you can continue participating in your senior living community and independent activities so you can maintain an active lifestyle and remain independent for as long as possible, a memory care community or dementia care for seniors will help you keep up with an active lifestyle. If you’re looking for assisted living options like Sundial Assisted Living that can help you be active, visit sites like villadesanantonio.com/living-options/ to check out various senior living options.
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