Senior physical changes are natural

bySupernonsens

120 followers

6 years ago

It is interesting to note that when it comes to age "senior" means a number of things. For Social Security it means full retirement over 65 for discounts at restaurants it can be 55+ or at some grocery stores it is 62 or at least in the United States. But that is not true around the world. The World Health Organization considers seniors "elderly" at 60. However, one baby boomer recently considered elderly to mean 78. So, I guess I am saying that age is a state of mind. We have all known young people who were "old" before their time and older individuals who are so young at heart that they appear years younger than they really are.

We are the age we feel, and that can change from day to day sometimes. For the purpose of this article I am going to leave the chronological age out of the picture and simply talk about some changes that happens as we age.

Psychological/Social/Physical changes

Physical changes are inevitable, the various changes within our body cover a multitude of adjustments. Your heart, eyes, ears(hearing), skin, hair, and bones are all feeling the signs of wear. However, we all don't age as fast or as slow as others much depends upon several factors; genetics, lifestyle, it has even been noted that distant childhood can be a factor in the aging process. Your childhood personality, education, as well as behavioral factors also contribute to longevity and the aging process.

There are three complex multi factorial functions that contribute to these changes.

The first is called cellular homeostatic mechanisms meaning changes in your body temperature, blood flow, and cellular fluid value (blood flow to the lymphatic system).

The second decrease in organ mass.simply put our organs decrease; the heart of a 20-year-old is capable of pumping about 10 times the amount of blood that is actually needed to keep the body alive. And a 60-year-old need 3 time the amount of ambient light to read than a 20 year old.

Third is the loss of functional reserves. This may impair the ability to cope with external challenges i.e., surgery or trauma. Thus often leading to stress or depression.

Signs of aging are:

Your heart has to work harder, your blood vessels and arteries become stiffer and the blood is harder to pump. This often leads to grains high blood pressure. Staying active walking, running, swimming and even moderate exercise each day can help. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables along with whole grains to your heart healthy.

Your skin feels different; drier and less supple. That's because your skin makes less natural oil. You sweat less and lose some fatty tissue just below the skin. This can make it thinner because we lose the elastin production at about 1% per year after the age of 20. You may also notice wrinkles, age spots, and skin tags. Instead of hot baths or showers switch to warm it won't dry your skin out as much. And if you smoke STOP, it can cause wrinkles.

It is harder to see and hear. You may find it hard to focus on objects up close. You might need reading glasses for the first time or you find it hard to adapt to abrupt light changes. Hearing can be devastating and make you feel left out of conversation and lonely especially in crowded rooms such as church. Be sure to wear sunglasses outside and earplugs to block out loud noises. I will talk more about hearing apparatuses in another article.

Teeth and gums change, gums pull away from your teeth and your mouth might feel drier. Dry mouth could be a sign of an illness or might be a medication you are taking. It also puts you at risk for tooth decay and infections. Brush twice a day and floss to help prevent infection and decay.

Bones may become more brittle because they become less dense. This increases your risk of fracture. You might even notice you are a bit shorter. This happens when the disks in your spine shrink. Your joins might feel stiffer, again because your ligaments, the cords that bind your joints together often lose elasticity. As the tissues between your joints break down you may develop arthritis. Vitamin D is vital to bone health, sunlight is wonderful for healthy bones (not to be overdone) and eat some tuna, sardines, egg yolks, or milk. Be sure to ask your Doctor before taking any supplement.

Bathroom habits may change. Urinary incontinence happens to about 10% of people over 65. Many people get a little leakage but some lose large amount of pee before they can get to the bathroom. For women menopause or surgery can be a factor while for men enlarged prostates might be the issue. It should be noted that some diabetics have slow bowels and some medicines make you constipated. These include diuretics and iron supplements. Be sure to see your Doctor to see if your symptoms can be controlled or even cured. In the meantime avoid caffeine, alcohol, sodas and food high in acid. Try Kegel exercises that can tighten your pelvic floor muscles and may help bladder control.

Squeeze as if you're holding your pee.

Wait 5 seconds then relax and repeat 4-5 times, several times a day.

To avoid constipation, eat plenty of high fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains and drink lots of water.

Weight control may be a problem because as we age muscle turns to fat, and that burns fewer calories. So we eat less to stay at our current weight. It will help to keep your weight steady. And ladies I just read that losing 10 pounds can age a woman as much as 4 years in the face. Just an FYI! Another reason to maintain.

Sex life changes too, during menopause, a woman's vaginal tissues become drier, thinner, and less elastic. It might make sex less pleasurable. Her breasts lose muscle and might begin to sag. Men age too, their levels of the hormone testosterone go down. They make less sperm and may have a lower sex drive. They might also find it hard to get or keep an erection. You cannot turn the clock back but you can still enjoy a pleasurable physical relationship; talk to your Doctor.

'Thereality is that if we are fortunate enough to get old we will experienceincreasing dependence on others for basic requirements, including for driving,shopping, cleaning the house, keeping up on medications, and safely existing inour own homes. But don’t forget that underneath wrinkled skin often shines aspirit and strength of will that should inspire, not cause ridicule. For many, retirement is only the beginning. '

The above is a quote from A Place for Mom.