When it comes to aging, people have a lot of questions. Does that mean they will get sick easier? And will they have to sign up for home health care services in the future? These questions are rightfully on point, even if a bit exaggerated. After all, there are a lot of changes that happen here. So, let’s take a look at the things that you need to know about the matter.
When Does Aging Start?
This is one of the first questions people ask. Aging doesn’t have a definite start time. People grow at different rates. Your lifestyle and other factors can also contribute to whether you age slower or faster.
But medical professionals generally agree that signs of aging start emerging between your late 20s and early 30s. Generally, skin aging is the first such sign that you will encounter. From there, you will gradually see the other changes.
Senior age, the period we often associated with the word aging, also has a bit of a variable definition. Three main things determine that definition.
- Chronological age: in most countries, senior age is officially recognized as being at least 60 years old. Note that the number might be higher or lower in some nations.
- Physical health and appearance: As mentioned above, people might consider someone old when they see visible signs like skin wrinkles and grey hair.
- Social role: This one is based on when people retire or start things like elderly benefits.
Countries use different combinations of these to provide an official definition of seniority. Note that the definitions change as time passes, which can affect the way you would respond to aging.
Visible Signs Of Aging
While you can expect to have more grey hair and wrinkles as you age, there is more to it than just that. Your body will undergo a significant amount of changes as it moves past its prime. Understanding what these changes are will help you better prepare for them and settle into your senior years.
As mentioned earlier, your skin will show the most visible signs of the aging process. Here, you might start noticing that it feels drier than usual. This is mainly due to the skin making less natural oil than it once did.
Additionally, your skin starts producing less sweat and loses some of the fat underneath it. This makes it look thinner. All of these lead to more noticeable wrinkling, as it becomes less flexible. You will also notice spots and tiny growths.
You can remedy these changes in your skin by routinely taking a warm shower. This moisturizes it just enough without leading to even more dryness. Wearing sunscreen will also help protect it from potential damage when going outdoors.
Sensory Changes
Another visible change as you advance in age is that your senses become duller. Sight is often the first one to start weakening. You might find it harder to focus on objects even up close. At this point, you will probably need a prescription for at least reading glasses. Note that if you already have an existing eye condition, it would be best to see an ophthalmologist to find out how your advanced age affects it.
With hearing, you might find it harder to listen to conversations when in a moderately noisy room. You also become less perceptive to high-frequency sounds. Note that the latter is less noticeable, especially if you are not often exposed to such high-frequency sounds. In advanced stages where your hearing loss becomes more pronounced, you might need to use aids to remedy it.
Mobility
As you grow older, your bones start to shrink and become less dense. This results in them becoming weaker and more prone to breakage. it can also result in you being shorter than you used to be.
Meanwhile, your muscles also start to lose their flexibility and strength. This can make performing intense physical activity a lot harder than you used to. This can also lead to a greater risk of falling over, as your muscles and bones become less effective in supporting your weight.
Another common condition you will encounter as you age is arthritis. This is the inflammation of the joints between your bones due to wear and tear. The condition results in pain in the joints, making it harder for you to move normally. It can be remedied through pain relievers.
Changes Inside Your Body Due To Aging
These changes have an even more drastic effect on your body. But since they are internal, you might not readily notice them. Thus, you must have your regular checkups once you hit the above age to know better.
Digestion And Excretion
The structure of your large intestine undergoes a lot of changes during aging. This can lead you to feel constipated more often. You might also find yourself having a harder time swallowing. This is mainly due to the esophagus becoming more forceful when contracting.
Additionally, secretions of digestive enzymes lessen. This reduces the ability of organs like the liver, pancreas, and small intestines to break down food. That situation can lead to various diseases ranging from different digestive issues to diabetes. You can prevent these issues by changing your diet to better fit these changes
Meanwhile, you might often experience urinary incontinence. This is the condition where your bladder can’t hold as often as it used to, causing you to urinate more often. Taking in more fluids will help you keep yourself hydrated Proper diet also helps keep your urinary tract healthy even with the changes.
Cardiovascular Changes
As you grow older, your veins and arteries become stiffer. This makes your heart work harder to pump blood, which can result in higher blood pressure. The situation can be made more difficult by the weight gain associated with aging.
Staying physically active will help you keep your heart strong and pumping more efficiently. It will also help you maintain your weight. As such, you would want to have a regular exercise routine even at your older age. The right diet also promotes a healthier cardiovascular system.
Get Started Aging Well
With all these changes, you might feel a lot more anxious as you hit senior age. But don’t be. Aging is a natural process that everyone will go through in life. And you can go through it more positively.
Here, the biggest thing you should dispel is that senior age equates to declining health. By following the right exercise and diet regimen, you can remain healthy even at an advanced age. Meanwhile, learning to cope with these changes will let you adapt to them more effectively.
Need help in dealing with the changes due to aging? Contact Amavi’s home health services and we will be ready to guide you in this new chapter in life.