Men’s Health Month: Top Health Concerns Impacting Senior Men

Family history, age, and lifestyle play a significant role in your risk for certain medical conditions. However, many health concerns for seniors can be prevented or the progression slowed by making smart, healthy choices, and visiting your doctor for regular screening.

It is especially important to encourage older men to choose a proactive stance toward healthcare to help reduce their danger of being diagnosed with common elderly health problems. Today, we are covering the top senior health concerns in men that we all should be aware of:

• Cardiovascular disease is also known as “atherosclerosis” meaning “hardening of the arteries”. Heart disease and stroke are the first and second leading causes of death worldwide, in both men and women. Preventative steps to take consist of checking (and not controlling) cholesterol and blood pressure and switching to healthy lifestyle choices which include eating lots of vegetables and fruits, exercising, and stopping smoking.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the third most common cause of death among people age 65 and older. Although having a chronic respiratory disease increases senior health risk, making you more vulnerable to pneumonia and other infections, getting lung function tests and taking the correct medication, or using oxygen as instructed, will go a long way toward preserving senior health and your quality of life.
• Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in men other than skin cancer. While early stages of prostate cancer often don’t cause many symptoms, more advanced stages do. Prostate cancer is very treatable if caught early. Diet is an important component of reducing the risk of prostate cancer and light physical activities.
• Diabetes presents a unique set of complications for men, including lowering testosterone levels which can lead to a greater risk for sexual impotence and can lead to depression and anxiety. Untreated diabetes also contributes to heart disease, nerve, and kidney damage, and vision problems.
• Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the skeleton to weaken and the bones to break. It poses a significant threat to millions of men in the U.S. Osteoporosis is called a “silent disease” because it progresses without symptoms until a fracture occurs. Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet can help protect your bones and joints.
• Influenza and Pneumonia can also be very common in men as they age, especially if they have compromised immune systems as the result of COPD, diabetes, or congestive heart failure. Developing healthy habits early on – from your physical health to your mental health – is key to avoiding chronic illnesses later in life.

Planning for a healthy future in your later years is as important as planning for your financial future. Seniors often face a variety of health conditions that can affect their overall quality of life. At LifeWorx, we are dedicated to helping both men and women live healthy life. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your needs.