Health tips for older adults

Older adults should strengthen their awareness of self-care, learn self-monitoring knowledge, and master self-management skills. It’s better for them to go to the hospital for early detection of diseases and receive standardized treatment, and maintain functional ability to handle diseases in their middle and late stages.

 

The diet for older adults should be regular in terms of both serving times and quantities.

 

The daily food varieties should include cereals, soybeans, legumes, animal food, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy products, nuts, while the intake of cooking oil and salt should be regulated.

 

It is recommended that seniors have three meals and two snacks a day. The energy distribution of three meals a day is about 30% for breakfast, 40% for lunch and 30% for dinner. Snacks or fruits may be added in the morning and afternoon.

 

Older adults should choose light and moderate sports according to their own conditions and hobbies, such as fast walking, jogging, swimming, or dancing and Tai Chi. The best exercise time is from 10 am to 11 am and from 3 pm to 5 pm.

 

The sooner you quit smoking, the better. If you drink alcohol, you should limit it and avoid drinking spirits with a higher than 4.5% ABV (alcohol by volume).

 

It's best to take a lunch break for about 1 hour every day. 

 

If you have difficulty falling asleep for a long time or have serious snoring and apnea, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Please follow the doctor's advice if using sleeping pills.

 

Older adults should follow the doctor's advice when it comes to medication, and avoid duplicate medications. Do not abuse the use of antibiotics, sedative sleep drugs, anesthetics, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, antiarrhythmic drugs, or cardiotonic drugs.

 

In case of adverse reactions during medication, older adults should temporarily stop taking it and seek timely treatment.

 

Older adults should take a physical examination at least once a year, participate in general surveys organized by the government and major hospitals, and attach great importance to the early risk signals of cancer such as abnormal mass, intestinal bleeding and weight loss.

 

Once relevant abnormalities are found, you should go to a cancer hospital for treatment, and if you are diagnosed with cancer, you should receive standardized treatment.

The card should include the following items as the basic information (name, home address, work unit, contact information of family members), diseases, possible conditions and key points necessary for simple first aid on site.

 

The information should also indicate whether an ambulance is needed and whether you should be escorted to the hospital, among other matters.

 

Before taking blood pressure, you should rest for five minutes, and avoid excitement, fatigue, smoking and holding of urine. Take it twice, with an interval of one minute, and take the average value.

 

Patients with hypertension should measure their blood pressure at least three times a day. Be alert to the morning peak of blood pressure, and to low blood pressure especially due to improper medication.

 

Older adults should monitor blood glucose once every one or two months, not only fasting blood glucose, but also the blood glucose two hours after a meal.

 

When blood glucose is stable, diabetics should monitor it at least once or twice a week. The target of glycemic control in elderly diabetic patients should be relaxed, with fasting blood glucose kept to lower than 7.8 mmol / liter, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose to lower than 11.1 mmol / liter, and glycosylated hemoglobin level controlled at 7% to 7.5%.

 

Once older adults show symptoms such as facial or limb weakness or numbness on one side, hemianopia, dizziness with nausea, vomiting and diplopia, they must be sent to a qualified hospital for emergency treatment as soon as possible.

 

Avoid picking ears randomly, drinking strong tea and coffee, and the use of ototoxic drugs such as gentamicin or streptomycin. 

 

When hearing loss is serious, older adults should go to medical institutions for examination in time and wear hearing aids when necessary. Check eyesight regularly and see a doctor in time if your eyesight decreases.

 

 

Older adults should maintain a healthy lifestyle and control the risk factors that cause cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It’s better for older adults to control the intake of oil and salt, exercise moderately, keep good sleeping habits and have regular physical examinations.

 

Detect early symptoms of coronary heart disease and stroke as soon as possible and treat them in time.

 

More than 90% of fractures in older adults are caused by tumbles. Older adults should take moderate exercise regularly, wear appropriate glasses to improve their eyesight, and avoid going out alone or in any crowded environment.

 

Improve indoor lighting, and keep the ground around you dry and flat.

 

Keep your knees warm, try not to go down stairs and control your weight to reduce the pressure on your lower limb joints.

 

Have a balanced diet that is rich in calcium, low in salt and with an appropriate amount of protein, and improve bone strength through moderate exercise such as walking or running.

 

Pay attention to changes of behaviors and living habits that may increase abdominal pressure, such as standing for a long time, squatting, weight-bearing, chronic cough, and constipation.

 

Alzheimer's disease mostly starts after the age of 65, and involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. It is a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss and possibly leading to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment.