Senior Health
As our bodies age, our health needs change. We have to get different screenings, take different medications and we fall prey to different diseases. Find the best ways to keep yourself healthy and active in your later years with this Web guide.
Expand All Guide SectionsHealth for Older Adults
Medical advances have considerably expanded people’s life spans, but to make the most of a longer life, it’s essential to stay healthy. This section has information on nutrition, exercise and mental health exclusively tailored to older adults. Also learn about issues that can affect your quality of life, such as advance directives and long-term care options.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Researchers have explored a number of keys to a long life, and found that insulin adjustments extend worms’ lives. Such a technique hasn’t been studied in humans so far.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an overview of senior health …
Mayo Clinic
has an article about what people can expect to experience as they age, outlined by body part or system. Take a quiz to find out how much you know about the aging process.
The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging
, founded by the American Geriatrics Society, has an extensive list of screenings that people aged 65 and older should get, and indicates how often they should be done.
For advance directives …
For dental health …
The American Dental Association
has a short (less than three-minute) video about baby boomers and dental health. Older adults can do plenty to prevent tooth loss, ADA experts say.
To learn more about taking care of your mouth and teeth at any age, see the findingDulcinea Dental Health Web Guide.
For exercise …
The American Academy of Family Physicians
offers advice for older people who want to exercise. Look for exercise suggestions and learn the warning signs for when it’s time to call the doctor.
The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging
has a concise introduction to physical activity that outlines the general benefits of exercising, and goes into more detail on the specific types of exercise. It also covers issues of workout intensity and frequency.
The American Physical Therapy Association
has a series of exercise tips for seniors with a few ideas for alternative workouts, like gardening and golf. The article can also be downloaded and printed in PDF format.
To learn more about physical fitness, see the findingDulcinea Fitness Web Guide.
For long-term care …
For medication advice …
Medicare
offers prescription coverage through more than 1,000 plans nationwide, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a policy group. Use this page to find a prescription drug plan for you.
AARP
has a free form you can download and fill out to keep track of your medication. Share this form with your doctors and pharmacists to keep everyone updated on all the medications and supplements you take.
To learn more about prescription, generic and over-the-counter medications and supplements, see the findingDulcinea Medication Web Guide.
For mental health …
Geriatric Mental Health Foundation
aims to educate patients and their families on the psychiatric issues that affect the elderly. Find information on healthy aging, Alzheimer's disease and dementia, depression, alcohol and substance abuse, and caregiving. Use the search engine to find a geriatric psychiatrist near you.
For more information, see the findingDulcinea Mental Health Web Guide or the findingDulcinea Anxiety and Depression Web Guide.
For nutrition …
The National Institute on Aging
, part of the National Institutes of Health, makes healthy eating recommendations for people over the age of 50. Learn how to adapt to changing senses of smell and taste, and get advice for saving money while food shopping.
MyPyramid.gov
, a Web site of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has a page where you can enter your age, gender, physical activity level, weight and height to find out how much of each food group you need daily.
For more information about eating right, see the findingDulcinea Nutrition Web Guide.
Senior Health Issues
The risk of getting certain diseases and conditions, such as cancer, rises as a person ages. Complications that develop as the result of chronic diseases, like diabetes, can also become more pronounced later in life. This section describes some of the conditions that affect older people more often.
Dulcinea's Insight
- The National Institute on Aging Web site features prominently in this section because they offer information written specifically for older adults.
Dulcinea's Picks
For Alzheimer’s disease …
For arthritis …
The National Institute on Aging
has a text-heavy arthritis information page, available also as a PDF download. Learn about the common types of arthritis, how to treat arthritis and more.
NIHSeniorHealth
, a Web site of the National Institutes of Health, offers arthritis information for elderly sufferers. Use the links to skip to topics of interest; the "Frequently Asked Questions" page is the most extensive. This page also offers accessibility features, such as larger font, contrast and speech. Use the buttons at the top of the pages to turn on these options.
Learn more about arthritis at the findingDulcinea Arthritis Web Guide.
For cancer …
The National Institute on Aging
explains that even people without a family history of cancer have a higher risk of getting it as they age. Access general information about cancer, such as symptoms and treatment options, and prevention tips.
To learn more about cancer, see the findingDulcinea Cancer Web Guide. A findingDulcinea Prostate Cancer Web Guide is also available.
For cardiovascular disease …
The National Institute on Aging
has information on understanding blood pressure, as well as preventing and controlling high blood pressure in the elderly.
To learn more, see the findingDulcinea Cardiovascular Disease Web Guide.
For COPD …
For diabetes …
Mayo Clinic
has an article that discusses the double whammy of diabetes and menopause. Discover how menopause can affect the signs and symptoms of diabetes, and find ways to cope with both.
The National Institute on Aging
provides information on diabetes in older people. Learn what diabetes is, the health issues involved and how testing is performed. The institute suggests ways to manage the disease and offers tips for living a healthy life with diabetes, like getting frequent eye, kidney and foot exams.
To learn more about diabetes, and find recipes and support, see the findingDulcinea Diabetes Web Guide.
For heart attacks …
Public Health Agency of Canada
has an overview of heart attacks for senior citizens. Read what heart attacks are, how they can be avoided and how they are treated.
To learn more about heart attacks, see the findingDulcinea Heart Attack Web Guide.
For high blood pressure …
The National Institute on Aging
has information for older adults that explains how to understand, prevent and treat high blood pressure.
To learn more about high blood pressure, see the findingDulcinea High Blood Pressure Web Guide.
For menopause …
See the findingDulcinea Menopause Web Guide.
For osteoporosis …
For Parkinson’s disease …
For stroke …
See the findingDulcinea Stroke Web Guide.
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