As much as everyone wants to move fast in life, nobody wants to age quickly. Everyone is doing their best to make the most of the present, but they fear too much of what lies ahead. Particularly, this is true when it comes to the health concerns for older women.
Old age health, diet, life, and security almost everything about old age scares them. They feel that they will lose a part of themselves as they move forward.
They fear that they will not be prepared to take care of themselves and others. Universally, women are known to live longer than men, so,that being the case, they represent the higher proportion of older adults.
54% of people 60 years of age and older are women, a proportion that rises to almost 60% at age 75 and older, and to 70% at age 90 and older.
The usual old age problems that women face are more serious, as now their body is less equipped to handle such issues.
Many of the health problems faced by women in older age are the result of exposure to risk factors in adolescence and adulthood, such as smoking, sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets.
Non communicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases and cancers, are the biggest causes of death among older women, regardless of what country they live in and how well they have lived.
Cardiovascular diseases account for 46% of older women’s deaths globally, while a further 14% of deaths are caused by cancers – mainly cancers of the lung, breast, colon and stomach. Chronic respiratory conditions, mainly COPD, cause another 9% of older women’s deaths.
Other health troubles experienced by elderly women that reduce bodily and cerebral function include poor vision (including cataracts), hearing loss, arthritis, depression and dementia.
In many countries women are far less likely to receive treatment or supportive aids for such conditions than men. The plight of women in such countries is deplorable.
This when combined with factors such as increase vulnerabilities, and reduced access to needed and effective health services makes it harder for women to stay healthy.
Most of us do not want to start afresh, because of the way we have behaved in the past. We think that whatever we do now won’t amount to anything because of the hard living that we have experienced in the past.
But the thing is that even if you’ve had some unhealthy habits throughout your lifetime, it’s never too late to begin activities that will enhance your health and well-being now and in the years ahead.
This advice also works if you have a chronic medical condition. You often can make lifestyle changes that will improve your health.
.The reality is that after several decades of a continuously working body, you can expect some decline in physical well-being. The body just like most machines goes through a little wear and tear from regular use
You’ll need to take greater care of your body-but not just your physical health. Your emotional, sexual and mental well-being needs attention, too.
Unfortunately, we live in a culture where youth is valued more than maturity, especially for women. At this age, women may have to work harder than ever to preserve their sense of self-worth, potential and sexuality.
Most of the ailments linked to aging are caused by daily routine choices, including smoking, lack of exercise, chronic stress and obesity. Family history, such as diabetes, heart disease, overweight or cancer, also can play a noteworthy part.
To follow the statistics, as a chronic condition, heart disease affects 37 percent of men and 26 percent of women 65 and older.
As people age, their risk factors increase, in such areas as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, thus increasing the chances of having a stroke or developing heart disease.
Hopefully these facts will help some of you older ladies out there in the world to realize that it is never too late to work at improving your chances of living a long and healthy life.
Feel free to comment or ask questions.
This has come very handy and surely, I would share it with my mom ASAP. I agree with you that the reactions of our body when older would be a manifestation of the decisions made while younger and that is the more reasons, we women are encouraged to get very active in our daily activities and get some exercises and eat healthily. This is great and I’m going to share this out. A lot of people needs to know about this
Great comments Tracy and I thank you for them. Thanks also for sharing with others.
Roland
This is spot on, and I am so glad and happy to read this! You said that too it’s never to late to make changes to improve health and I 100% agree with that!
My grandmother is in her 90s and at 85-years-old she used to struggle to walk up the road and had to keep taking breaks. And her eating habits were horrible. At 87, she made changes and now she walks every single day without breaks, doesn’t nap as much and feels great.
People should never underestimate the power/effects of eating healthy, being active and having the willpower to do things.
Thanks Nate for the inspiring story about your grandmother. I too have known of others like your grandmother. That is why we can know with confidence that it is never too late to improve our health habits
Roland.
I’m happy that at the end of everything you could add that it is never too late to make amends to avoid the dreadful illnesses and diseases that come with aging. The risk factors are really increased when one started getting older,Ian scared for my mum because even though she tries everytime to show that she is strong,she inhibits some characteristics of old age. I try to help her as much as I can. Then there’s me, I’m also growing old and need to take care of myself. Thank you for the educative post here. I wish us all a healthy life.
Thanks for your fine comments and I wish you and your mum all the best in the future.
Roland
You’re right, it’s never too late to change your habits; I can tell you about me that I changed some bad habits (not all lol) and I feel much better at 63 years old than I felt at 50 years old. An important factor that intervened was the retirement. Now I have more time to deal with myself.
You are right Carmen, it is never too late, and being retired should give us more time to look after ourselves. Unfortunately, too many people in this world also count retirement as a time to sit back and do as little as possible which can or course be the very worst thing for their health and longevity. Thanks for your comments.
Roland
Hi
The risk to health as you get older increases, not only because of the lifestyle you have led whilst you are young but also because your body is naturally declining with age. It is not true that old gets neglected compared to the young. You go to any hospital and you will find that most occupants are the elderly, and this is rightly so, as most of them have complex conditions, which needs treatment. It is up to you as the individual to look after yourself and this means making sacrifices. The health of every individual is important no matter if you are young or old, man or woman.
Thanks
Antonio
You make some good points Antonio. Those of us living in North America and in many other parts of the world will certainly be blessed with proper care in old age. That probably accounts for why, in parts of the world where this is not so, that it falls to the families of the elderly to look after them. In any case, I think you will agree that the longer we can look after our own health as we age the better.
Roland