The trick is to age gracefully, honestly, and healthily. Make it look so great and tempting so that everyone looks forward to it. – Emma Thompson

But is that so easy? With old age comes different inevitable challenges, especially the ones that are related to your health and wellbeing and are very difficult but not impossible to surpass.

You’ll be amazed to know that people in America can count on advancement in the medical field to improve their life expectancy. Yes, that’s right! According to the medical experts, once you celebrate your 65th birthday, the chances are that you’ll be able to enjoy another 20 years of your life, provided you take really good care of your health and watch out for chronic conditions. That’s the secret of living a happy, healthy, and long senior life.

Once you enter into your senior age, living a healthy life goes beyond making appropriate lifestyle choices such as cutting back on alcohol, quitting smoking, losing weight, taking a good diet, and exercising. Well, they are equally essential but watching out for a few health concerns in your golden era is something that can save you from emergency to trips to the doctor.

Here are some chronic health conditions to watch out for in your senior years, after which you too can make it to the list (41%) of people who stay happy and healthy after 65. Let’s take a look at what you are up against!

• Osteoporosis

You’ll be alarmed to know that approximately 10 million Americans are suffering from Osteoporosis and 44 million from low bone density. And 54 million of them are above the age of 50 or older. The motive is not to scare you but to make you feel concerned about your bone health.

According to medical experts, as you age, the bone density starts shrinking, making them vulnerable and susceptible to fractures. In fact, due to low bone density and Osteoporosis, joints become much more inflamed, less flexible, and pains like the devil. So, make sure that you take a good diet, exercise regularly, and consult your doctor for the measures to keep the bones safe and sound for a lifetime.

• Urinary tract infection

Losing control over bowel and bladder movements is pretty common in older people. But it’s not normal for them to get diagnosed with UTI or Urinary tract infection. According to industry experts, seniors are susceptible to Ut’s due to weakened and compromised immune systems. In fact, many of them don’t even exhibit any symptoms or signs of the said condition. This condition is popularly termed “asymptomatic bacteriuria.” Generally, the symptoms include experiencing burning sensations, fluctuation in blood pressure, and pain in their lower abdomen.

Thankfully, skilled nurses and health care experts are trained to identify the symptoms by observing the behavior change in their patients, and when they do find something suspicious, the first thing they ask for is a urine sample. And then, after the patient gets diagnosed with the condition, they start with the process of managing UTIs, and once the treatment works out, the patient returns to their normal behavior. In fact, caregivers and family members should also look out for signs of UTIs and seek medical attention ASAP.

• Respiratory and heart diseases

Seniors are vulnerable beings. Facing respiratory and heart diseases ranks on the top of the list of health concerns that bother older adults in their golden years. No one wants to deal with problems such as bronchitis, lung infection, and cardiovascular diseases. Right? For this, you need to quit smoking as soon as possible, inhale fresh and good quality air, and schedule regular checkups with healthcare professionals to avoid potential risks.

• Sensory Impairment

After the age of 70, sensory organs such as eyes and ears often have a hard time adjusting to their senior years. The vision starts to blur and lose focus as the lenses in the eyes become dry. Also, the nerves in the ear structure start losing their ability to hear properly. These sensory impairments can lead to vital problems such as cataracts, muscular degeneration, and glaucoma. Thankfully, advancements in technology can help with hearing aids, contact lenses, and glasses to keep these degenerative issues in check. You will want to have regular check-ups and if you find yourself struggling with your eyesight you can search for cataract surgery Melbourne (or wherever you live) to find out more about cataracts and how you can improve your vision. Scheduling regular screening checkups can help catch and diagnose any potential problems with your sensory organs.

• Depression

Did you know that around 20% of the older adults are suffering from mental disorders, and every one in three of the seniors does not receive treatment for it? Yes, you read that right! Depression is very real and is affecting the mental health of seniors every day.

Depression is a threat not only to the mental health of the seniors but also affects their immunity, compromising their ability to fight infections and allergies. Therefore, older adults must socialize, have counselling sessions, exercise, and spend some quality time with close friends and family members. It really is this crucial to embrace freedom in independent living or whatever other living situation they’re in and make the most of it, in order to keep their head in a good space. Take care of your mental health, and everything else will be right on track.

• Poor oral health

Around to a recent medical report, 25% of the older adults who are above the age of 65 do not have natural teeth. And that’s not good news. Taking proper care of teeth and gums is not only important for a pretty smile and hassle-free eating but also for maintaining overall health in your golden years. Medical experts confirm the fact that with age, the mouth becomes dryer, and it becomes challenging to prevent cavities. That’s the reason why older adults should practice proper oral hygiene and schedule regular dental checkups and prioritize their oral healthcare.

• Dementia

Old age can be rough, especially when you start forgetting things or face difficulty in planning and organizing stuff. Well, the condition is known as dementia and is a normal condition in older adults. The symptoms start interfering in day-to-day activities and affect your thinking as well as social abilities. The good news is that depending on the symptoms and causes, the condition can be reversed. Dementia is generally linked with memory loss, but just forgetting things doesn’t mean that you have dementia.

To sum it up!

Getting old is exhilarating. You get to live up to all your fantasies, such as sitting on a lawn and living your golden years in peace. But this is only possible when you take good care of your health ALL THE TIME.