![]() ![]() Injury and ViolenceĪmong seniors, falls are the leading cause of injuries, hospital admissions for trauma, and deaths due to injury. Here's a surprising fact: The rate of suicide is higher for elderly white men than for any other age group, including adolescents. If left untreated, depression in the elderly can lead to suicide. The most common late-in-life mental health condition is depression. With accurate diagnosis comes management and help. There are many forms of dementia (including Alzheimer's Disease) and some can be temporary. Dementia can be caused by disease, reactions to medications, vision and hearing problems, infections, nutritional imbalances, diabetes, and renal failure. ![]() Mental Healthĭementia is not part of aging. That's why seniors are not well represented in research, clinical drug trials, prevention programs and efforts at intervention. Again, stereotypes about aging in terms of sexual activity and drug use keep this problem largely unrecognized. Seniors are unlikely to use condoms, have immune systems that naturally weaken with age, and HIV symptoms (fatigue, weight loss, dementia, skin rashes, swollen lymph nodes) are similar to symptoms that can accompany old age. Between 19, AIDS in adults over 50 rose more than twice as fast as in younger adults. Because of our stereotypes about senior citizens, many medical people fail to ask seniors about possible substance abuse. In addition, seniors may deliberately or unknowingly mix medications and use alcohol. ![]() These are two areas we don't often associate with seniors, but seniors, like young people, may self-medicate using legal and illegal drugs and alcohol, which can lead to serious health consequences. Substance abuse usually means drugs and alcohol. Tobacco use is now called "Tobacco dependence disease." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that smokers who try to quit are more successful when they have the support of their physician. Tobacco is the single greatest preventable cause of illness and premature death in the U.S. In-depth guides and practical advice about obesity are available from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. Overweight and Obesityīeing overweight or obese increases your chances of dying from hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, dyslipidemia and endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon cancers. It's important for successful aging to eat foods rich in nutrients and avoid the empty calories in candy and sweets. Like exercise, your eating habits are often not good if you live and eat alone. Check with your local churches or synagogues, senior centers, and shopping malls for exercise and walking programs. Inactivity often accompanies advancing age, but it doesn't have to. Research indicates that staying physically active can help prevent or delay certain diseases, including some cancers, heart disease and diabetes, and also relieve depression and improve mood. ![]()
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