According to a study, the old people hold 12% of the world population today and will rise to 22% by 2050. This means that within 30 years, people who are young today will be part of the old age group and might be facing some of the diseases which we are going to discuss today in this article.
You see, when a person starts to get old, he or she faces some diseases which do not get cured and stay with them till they die. These people have to carry a bunch of medicines with them everywhere they go. And also they have to visit doctors regularly. Sometimes the doctor is unavailable, or they need someone to look at them.
Nevertheless, we have to understand the problems faced by people when they age and try to prevent them. So what are the common health issues you will find most of the old age people face? Well there are many which they face, but few of them are as follows:
Table of Contents
Health Issue # 1: Arthritis.
We all have seen that most of the old people complain that they have pain in their joints. They cannot move their hands or their legs faster. This is because they have broken tissues inside the joints. This disease is called arthritis. According to the report published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in seven old people has arthritis. This makes 15% of the population. This report is of 2017-18. So those old people who have this disease must work with their doctor to build an actionable plan so that they can keep themselves moving.
For the treatment of arthritis one can also consult with a doctor. Or sometimes one has to call a doctor at home and for which they could use home doctor Sydney.
Health Issue # 2: Hypertension.
According to the health foundation working in Australia, almost 6 million people suffer from hypertension. This makes almost 33.7% of Australian adults. Hypertension is a disease in which blood pressure is always elevated in arteries. This is measured in millimeter of mercury (mmHg) and always have two numbers like 130/90mmHg.
This is one of the most common diseases an old person has, and he always has to carry medicines for controlling them. But sometimes, this disease causes some serious issues, and the patient needs a doctor to assist him.
Health Issue # 3: Asthma.
This could become a life-threatening condition for a person who does not control it. Asthma is a medical condition in which the muscles of the airways tighten and narrow, caused by inflammation of some kind of allergy and make it hard for a person to breathe. According to the report published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2017-18, one out of nine-people or 11.2% population has asthma.
Health Issue # 4: Diabetes.
The worst part of this disease is that it can never be cured. But it can be controlled. It is caused due to our body stopped producing insulin, and hence we have to inject it from the outside. In the 2017-18 report published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one out of twenty people has diabetes. This number makes 4.9% or 1.2 million people.
It happens due to aging and changes in your body, but most important changes in your lifestyle like an unhealthy diet or no physical exercise cause you to get diabetes when you are above 40 years of age.
Health Issue # 5: Osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a medical condition in which a person starts to lose bone density quickly than a normal person. It is a natural process of losing bone mass. But when you experience it at an abnormal speed, it creates worries as your bone will now be at a high risk of fracture injuries.
According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, 2.2 million Australian are affected by osteoporosis. About 11% of men and 27% of women aged over 60 years or more suffer from this condition. Women are more likely to have osteoporosis than women. A study shows that women after the age of 50 are 42% more likely to get Osteoporosis. Doctors recommend medication for bone strengthening like vitamin-D supplements or calcium supplements.
Health Issue # 6: Cholesterol.
When you have an unhealthy diet, or you smoke, or you have diabetes or any other heart issues, you are more likely to have cholesterol. It is a fatty substance made my liver of a human body, which is then circulated the body through blood. But having high cholesterol is a bad thing as it can cause many other health issues.
As far as statistics are concerned, 21.2% of people aged over 65 and 14.1% of people aged between 55 – 64 years have high cholesterol, as stated by the Australian Bureau of statistics. When you get old, there is a high chance that your arteries will get narrow, and hence you can face high cholesterol.
Health Issue # 7: Blindness.
It has been a scientific experiment that kids have sharper eyesight and sharp ears, while when we start getting old, we start to lose the ability to have a clear vision. Over 70% of people aged 65+ are estimated to be blind in Australia.
When a macula (the small area at the center of the retina) is build up, it hinders the eyes to see. But it has a cure now. People can go through contract surgery or laser surgery to get rid of it, and they can have their eyesight back.
Health Issue # 8: Cancer.
The most dangerous disease in the world but has many types of it. Although you do not need to have cancer when you get old, still, according to cancer council Australia, 1 in 2 Australian men and women will be having any sort of cancer when they are above 70 years. These statistics show that when you get old, you are more likely to have cancer.
Health Issue # 9: Coronary Heart Disease.
It is a disease in which your heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a buildup of fatty substances in your arteries. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 4.6% of people aged over 65 have coronary heart disease. This is also one of the major causes of death in many other countries.
It is caused mainly due to high cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, or diabetes. But it can be cured by having a healthy diet, exercises, and staying stress-free.
Health Issue # 10: Dementia.
It is very common in people over 60 that they tend to forget things, events, people’s names, and life memories. This is called dementia. It is a condition in which a person is unable to retain information in his brain for a longer period. It can be seen when a person cannot communicate properly or having difficulty in judging distance. In such case, caregivers help them to perform activities of daily living such as bathing, preparing food, organizing things, overseeing medication etc.
The Bottom Line
No matter what is your age is, you will have to face disease and consult a doctor. However, when you are aged and considered as a senior citizen, you are more likely to have a disease that will stay with you, you will have your last breath. Those diseases can be like Cholesterol, Blindness, Hypertension, Arthritis, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, Asthma, and others. But everything can be handled beforehand when you are young and energetic. So have a healthy diet, do some physical exercises regularly, and have a regular full body checkup to stay updated about what is happening in your body.