5 Ways to Ensure Better Health in Senior Citizens and the Elderly

Updated on March 26, 2023

Aging is associated with a lot of negativity in our society but in truth, getting older doesn’t necessarily have to be such a bad change. While it isn’t exactly possible for seniors to retain the same physical and mental acuity which they had twenty years ago, they need not be as weak and fragile as we make them out to be either.

According to Jane Byrne, Project coordinator at a nursing home in Dublin, “Regular health checkups should be done even if the person is feeling healthy because tests often manage to detect a problem even before it becomes a serious issue.”

Of course, one would need to make changes in his/her lifestyle to accommodate for the various bodily changes that do take place, but when done properly, these little steps ensure that you age gracefully and continue to lead a good life.

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Dietary Supplementation

As the years pass by, our bodies gradually lose the ability to produce certain hormones, nutrients and other chemicals and compounds. In addition to that, we also tend to lose bone mass and muscle mass we already had as well. To counter this situation, you will need to restructure your diet and supplement it adequately to supply your body with what it is losing and what it cannot produce sufficiently on its own anymore. Some of the most important supplements a senior citizen needs to stay healthy are as follows.

  • Vitamin B12
  • Vitamin D
  • Folic Acid
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium
  • Potassium
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Losing Bad Habits

Any harmful addictions one might have like smoking, regular drinking or an unhealthy diet will catch up with you as you get older. The earlier you quit them, the better you will age; it’s as simple as that. Additionally, since our bodies tend to get weaker with time, the immediate ill effects of smoking, drugs, excess drinking and other bad lifestyle choices on your vital organs will be much more prominent than they were before.

CBD Supplementation

If there’s any downside to CBD (Cannabidiol) then it would be the fact that it cannot get you high, no matter how much you take. For senior citizens though, the use of CBD oil from a well-known brand like Cibdol as a holistic, all-natural supplement has tremendous benefits and some of them are listed below.

  • It promotes general bone health and helps to heal fractures
  • CBD provides mobility to joints and acts as a deterrent against joint pain
  • Helps with glaucoma
  • Stimulates the appetite
  • It can even prevent or delay the effects of old-age diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia

Active Lifestyle

People often tend to think that we should take it easy and relax all the time as we age, but it is most definitely the wrong approach. While certain activities may no longer be a feasible option in some cases, they need to be replaced with others that are more suitable. Staying active is the most important part of staying healthy even in old age as it keeps your joints mobile, your muscles active and your mind sharp. Aside from that, regular exercise also deters weight gain, weakened immunity, insomnia, loss of balance and stress build-up.

Regular Medical Checkups

This holds true even when we are young, but it’s particularly important for the elderly. Regular health checkups should be done even if the person is feeling healthy because tests often manage to detect a problem even before it becomes a serious issue. As time is the most important commodity for the older generations, it’s best that health complications are detected and dealt with as early as possible.

Fitness is as much about the body, as it is about the mind and therefore, it is imperative to have a positive outlook as we age. If you treat your years as wisdom, rather than age, it will feel so too. After all, age is indeed, just a number.

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Senior Outlook Today is your go-to source for information, inspiration, and connection as you navigate the later years of life. Our team of experts and writers is dedicated to providing relevant and engaging content for seniors, covering topics such as health and wellness, finances, technology and travel.