Did you know that women are 100% more likely to visit their primary care doctor for annual physicals and preventative services than men? Men also die at higher rates than women from nine of the top ten causes of death for Americans, and men typically die five years earlier than women. Because men are at high risk and less likely to visit the doctor, it’s important to shed light on the health problems and challenges facing older men.
The Changes in Health as We Age
Everyone can recognize the wrinkles and gray hair that indicate aging, but what about changes in your heart or teeth? As we age, the body slows down and ages as well. In the cardiovascular system, blood vessels and arteries will slowly stiffen, which forces your heart to work harder to pump blood. Bones typically shrink in size, and muscles lose their elasticity and flexibility. Memory and thinking skills can also change, as familiar concepts become more foreign. While these changes might seem frightening, with a proactive approach, you can ensure that you and your loved ones age while staying happy and healthy.
6 Special Considerations for Elderly Men’s Health
Make physical activity a part of your daily routine. Low-impact activities like swimming can be excellent for the joints and for staying active. Exercise helps to improve heart health, lower disease risk, maintain a healthy weight and maintain brain health.
Eat a healthy diet filled with fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fiber-rich foods. Stay away from foods that are high in sugar or sodium. A good diet serves as the backbone for a healthy lifestyle and promotes heart health, reduces strain on bones and muscles, boosts memory, improves oral health and helps to maintain a good weight.
Manage your stress with hobbies and activities like meditation. Stress takes a toll on your heart, body and mind.
Get enough calcium to protect bone health. While women are screened for osteoporosis regularly, men should also monitor bone health. The average daily calcium intake recommendation increases as we age to 1,200 mg a day for men over age 71.
Don’t smoke! If you are using tobacco or other products containing nicotine, talk with your primary care doctor about how to quit.
Treat cardiovascular disease if your doctor tells you that you are at a high risk for it. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes must all be managed properly to reduce the risk of heart attacks, cognitive decline or other negative health outcomes.
Prioritize Your Health with Senior Care Lifestyles
At Senior Care Lifestyles, we specialize in facilitating the connection between seniors and the right in-home care, assisted living and senior living communities. We have assisted hundreds of families with finding effective and affordable solutions for loved ones. Get in touch today by calling 410-977-3718!
Owner, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA®) & Assisted Living Placement Specialist - Senior Care Lifestyles, LLC provides compassion, guidance and recommendations to families faced with transitioning a loved one into Assisted Living, Dementia/Alzheimer’s Care, Skilled Nursing, Temporary Respite Care or a Continuous Care Retirement Community.
Senior Care Lifestyles was founded in 2014 by Deborah Bakalich, a Certified Senior Advisor and graduate from both Towson University and Stevenson. Senior Care Lifestyles is uniquely positioned as a local (not National) Maryland based placement firm familiar with Maryland senior care facilities and in-state financial assistance programs for senior residents. They meet personally with each family to understand the seniors care needs including medical, personal lifestyle preferences, budget, religion and desired geographic location. They pride themselves in locally guiding and educating families through the entire maze of senior living options available and will schedule tours on behalf of the family and accompany the family on visits of communities. They are passionate and committed to finding the perfect match to call home and stays with the family throughout the entire process, every step of the way, until a decision is made, and the senior is safely moved into their new home. Senior Care Lifestyles can also provide the family with trustworthy, vetted, and reputable experts to assist with the transition for organizing, packing, moving, sale of real estate, estate planning, legal services, and determining eligibility for State, Federal and Veterans Benefits to assist with care costs.
Deborah is a proud member of the Maryland Senior Resource Network (MSRN) where she has served as Vice President on the Board of Directors. She is a member of the Alzheimer’s Organization, Society of Certified Senior Advisors, Mid-Atlantic Network Group and a member of the Business Opportunity Network (BON).