Contents:
- Medical Video: People with the Strangest Medical Conditions
- Changes that occur in the body as we get older
- A disease that often attacks in old age
- 1. Arthritis (arthritis)
- 2. Mental disorders
- 3. Osteoporosis
- 4. Cancer
- 5. Cognitive disorders
- 6. Hearing and vision disorders
- 7. Malnutrition
- 8. Oral health problems
Medical Video: People with the Strangest Medical Conditions
Old age is an age that is susceptible to disease. This is because the immune system (immune system) in humans gets weaker as we get older. The immune system is very important to help protect your body from foreign or dangerous elements, for example bacteria, viruses, poisons, cancer cells, and blood or tissue from other people.
Changes that occur in the body as we get older
When you are old, your immune system does not work well. The following are some changes in the immune system that occur with age:
- The immune system becomes slower to respond and this will increase the risk of various diseases. Even though you have got a vaccine to protect your body, vaccines cannot protect you forever.
- Autoimmune disorders will develop. This is a disease caused by an immune system error that attacks healthy body tissues.
- The body will be slower in recovery. This is caused by the lack of immune cells in the body that can do healing.
- The ability of the immune system to detect and restore defective cells decreases. This will cause an increased risk of cancer.
A disease that often attacks in old age
From various decreases in the ability of the immune system to perform its functions in old age, the elderly will experience several conditions or diseases as follows:
1. Arthritis (arthritis)
Arthritis affects almost half of the elderly group. In addition, this disease is also a major cause of disability. "Long injuries from playing soccer during school and from wearing high heels will haunt us in old age. And arthritis in the knee is one of them, "said Sharon Brangman, MD, AGSF. The way to prevent it is to exercise regularly and stop exercising when it hurts.
2. Mental disorders
According to the World Health Organization (WHO). more than 15% of adults over the age of 60 suffer from mental disorders. Mental disorders that are common among seniors are depression. Unfortunately, this mental disorder is often undiagnosed and treated. Because depression can be bad, it will be great if you live a healthy lifestyle, such as improving living conditions and social support from family, friends, or other support groups that can help treat depression.
3. Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis and low bone mass affect almost 44 million adults aged 50 years and over and most of them are women. Aging causes the bones to shrink, and loses strength and flexibility in the muscles. Therefore, seniors are vulnerable to loss of balance, bruising, and broken bones. To prevent osteoporosis, you can do the following:
- Quit smoking
- Consume enough calcium
- Limiting acidic foods
- Avoid soda
- Take vitamin D (can be obtained from supplements or sunlight)
- Do weight lifting
4. Cancer
The risk for developing several types of cancer increases with age. "As women get older, the risk of cervical cancer will decrease, but the risk of uterine cancer is increasing," Brangman said. And the most surprising thing is that lung cancer accounts for more deaths in old age compared with breast cancer, prostate cancer, and combined colon cancer, therefore Brangman advises you to stop smoking.
5. Cognitive disorders
Cognitive health is focused on a person's ability to think, learn, and remember. The most common cognitive problem experienced by seniors is dementia (impaired loss of cognitive functions). About 45.7 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, and are expected to increase three-fold by 2050. The most popular form of dementia is Alzheimer's disorder.
6. Hearing and vision disorders
Diseases in old age that are mostly related to the eye are macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. High frequency hearing loss is common in old age, and it will be exacerbated by lifestyles that include exposure to loud noise (for example, working at an airport or factory).
7. Malnutrition
The causes of malnutrition can come from other health problems, such as dementia (people with dementia sometimes forget to eat), depression, alcoholics, limiting diet, reduced social contact, and limited income. Making small changes to the diet, such as increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables, and reducing consumption of saturated fats and salt can help with nutritional problems in the elderly.
8. Oral health problems
Oral health is the most important issue in old age, and this is often ignored. CDC's Division of Oral Health found that 25% of seniors over the age of 65 no longer have their natural teeth. Oral problems related to the elderly are dry mouth, gum disease, and oral cancer. This condition can be prevented or managed by conducting regular dental and dental examinations. However, sometimes this cannot be done because of the absence of dental health insurance after retirement and economic difficulties in old age.
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