International Day of Older Persons is celebrated on October 1. People aged 65 and over are called the elderly population. Due to the increase in average life expectancy, the elderly population is increasing in all countries of the world. According to the World Health Organization, by 2050, 17 percent of the global population will be elderly. We need to think about the health problems and care of this large number of seniors.
Elderly people are at risk
With increasing age, the risk of various diseases increases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, etc. Therefore, a large part of the elderly population is affected by these non-communicable diseases. If these diseases are not under control, various complications arise; Such as kidney disease, paralysis, vision problems, heart failure etc.
Not only non-communicable but also various communicable diseases are at special risk for the elderly. Any infection including the flu, pneumonia, urinary tract infection can become fatal for the elderly. In addition, certain health problems leave the elderly in a vulnerable situation. These include hearing loss, not being able to eat or having trouble eating, sleep problems, dizziness or lack of balance, weak bones, bone fractures, problems with bowel control, memory loss or dementia.
These things should be kept in mind in protecting the health of the elderly. At the same time, the mental health of the elderly should be taken care of. At this age many suffer from loneliness, helplessness and depression. It affects the mind due to various physical complications. So their problems should be looked at sympathetically.
Nutrition
Many elderly people have difficulty eating due to missing teeth or other problems. Taste also decreases at this age. So often there is nutritional deficiency. This may require a special diet. In that case, whether balanced nutrition is maintained or not, care should be taken. All kinds of ingredients; Such as carbohydrates, meat, good fats, vitamins and minerals should be in the food.
Imbalance
Seniors are always at risk of falling. There is also a risk of bone fracture or head injury in a fall. Postural hypotension or sudden drop in blood pressure with position change, hypoglycemia, vertigo is responsible for most of the cases. For this, it is good practice to take food regularly at the right time, slow down when standing from sitting or sitting from lying down, and using a stick if necessary. In order to prevent accidents from happening, keeping some lighting in front of the bathroom even at night, avoiding thin carpets or mats, using bathroom railings, extra caution on the stairs is necessary.
Amnesia
Most seniors suffer from forgetfulness. Forget to take a medicine or take the same medicine twice. So you have to pay attention to this. They cannot be blamed or angered for forgetting.
Mental health
Many older people may suffer from irritable mood or depression. Can also become aggressive. May suffer from loss of bowel control or shame for inability to perform daily activities. Problems should be seen by all family members and caregivers.
Professor ABM Abdullah, Medicine Specialist
