Aging can certainly seem daunting, as it brings with it a slew of possible health issues. According to the World Health Organization, between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%. It is important to know what challenges to look out for when you reach age 60 and above. For most older adults, good health ensures independence, yet far too many struggle every day with health and safety challenges such as chronic disease, falls, and mental health issues. All of these conditions can severely impact your quality of life. Some common health issues people face as they age include chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and diabetes have a significant impact on your health and function. Normal aging causes changes to our sensory system (i.e., eyes, ears, touch, taste, and smell) and changes to muscle strength and fat makeup. There are many regular age-related changes in the immune system, including a chronic inflammatory state and changes to our bowel and bladder function. One of the most important considerations is how aging affects our cognitive health. Significant changes to our psychological and cognitive function lead to conditions like dementia/ Alzheimer’s and depression. These types of health risks impair one’s memory, making it difficult to remember and recall as quickly as they used to, in What Are The Most Common Age-Related Health Conditions?
addition to hindering the ability to learn new things. Our physical function is affected due to the changes in our muscles and joints. This leads to an expected reduction in our walking speed and overall mobility decline. Unfortunately, these changes also make us more susceptible to falls. Falls are the leading cause of injury among older adults. How physical therapy can help There are some preventative measures that you can take on your own to try and avoid some of these health conditions; however, sometimes, the aid of a professional becomes necessary. Physical therapy treatments are a safe, healthy, and easy way to correct some of these conditions and prevent your risk of developing them. Together with our physical therapists, we can create a physical exercise plan to ensure you’re getting as much physical activity as you can throughout the day. This will include treatment-specific exercises to increase strength and overall mobility to help prevent other health issues. It is also essential to maintain a healthy diet, ensuring you have sufficient protein to help with bone strength and minimize muscle wasting. Our physical therapists can help set up a meal plan for you to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need and maintaining a healthy weight. Your physical therapist may also suggest at-home exercises for you to do. They may also offer another form of treatment, such as aquatic therapy, to increase muscle strength and ease discomfort. 561.644.4186 | libertyrehabs.com
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