Healthy Aging

couple on picnic blanketThe practice of healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating  healthy foods and weight control, can help to keep you healthy as you age. Lack of exercise and poor eating habits are the second most common cause of death related to lifestyle habits (smoking is the most common).

cigarette butt with red X

You may already know some of these facts, but they can help to remind you of good habits that can improve your health.

Some chronic illnesses are major causes of illness and death. Some of these diseases occur as we get older. You need to know how to lower your risk of getting these diseases as you age. As a woman with a disability, you need to pay close attention to how these illnesses can affect your disability and if your disability puts you at a higher risk for these health problems.

Some women believe that since they have a disability, they will not get another disease or chronic illness. This is not true. If you ignore your risk factors, you put yourself at risk for other problems if these diseases are not found and treated.

Below are some facts to consider:

  • doctor listening to a heartHeart Disease is the most common cause of people having to go to the hospital. It is also the most common cause of death in the U.S. for women age 65 and older.

  • Cancer is the second leading cause of illness and death.

  • Cerebrovascular disease is the third most common cause of illness and death. "Cerebrovascular" means blood flow in your brain. This disease can lead to a stroke or "brain attack".

  • Pneumonia and influenza, or "the flu", are the fourth major causes of death in older women, even though most women can get a vaccine to prevent these illnesses.

woman with broken foot on a couch   Broken bones, or fractures, that require surgery are very common in older women.

 

The following diseases most often cause disability, or added disability, in older women:

  • High blood pressure, or hypertension

  • Diabetes

  • Osteoarthritis

  • Cataracts

older woman with a walker  Women with disabilities are at risk for these problems. In fact, the effects of your disability may put you at higher risk than non-disabled women. For example, if you are not able to exercise because of your disability, your risk of getting heart disease may be higher.

health care provider writing a prescription  Yearly exams and routine screening for health problems that come with aging can help to find health problems early so that they can be treated.

What you can do:

woman and nurse.      1. Find a primary health care provider that is accessible and knows about your disability, or one who is at least willing to learn. Seeing your specialist, such as neurologist or rheumatologist, for treatment of your disability is not enough. These specialists tend NOT to look at general health promotion.

woman and nurse     2. See your primary health care provider often for "check-ups". This should be done every year. Make an appointment just for this purpose. To learn more click on: YEARLY EXAM

couple and health care provider  3. Be sure to talk with your doctor or nurse about regular screenings that should be done at your age. These include mammograms for breast cancer, Pap smears for cervical cancer, and bone density testing for osteoporosis.  To learn more click on: IMMUNIZATIONS and HEALTH SCREENINGS for women.

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08/11/2003 12:52 PM