Reaching a milestone in aging, cause for concern ?
Hello, said our senior, I am ninety and I feel great! No you are not , said the son… the daughter chimed in… not sure?
Is that familiar to us, I am sure it is for many of us, who face milestones in every aged’s life…
Life is not about numbers, said the senior…I agree, it is not… but should we be concerned anyways? As the elderly interacts with the world, various people are concerned about various things in his or her life…and are these myths, worries or else?
We live in a world where someone might be independent at ninety and some homebound at seventy.
Here are some key ways to understand the causes of concern in an aged’s milestones:
- Where is the elderly living? What are the preferences of an older adult?
- Is the elderly able to walk, or walking with a walker or cane, or is wheelchair bound or bedbound?
- What is the Body mass index? Nutrition status? Muscle mass? Bone health?
- Is the elderly cooking for themselves? How is their pantry looking: well stocked vs empty?
- Is the elderly independent in their daily activities?
- What is the mentation status? How about mental health?
- Medication intake ? regular or forgetful and what are the reasons?
- Appetite? Water intake, thirst mechanism?
- Bowel and bladder health
- Underlying socio economic burdens
- Dependency on alcohol, drugs, recreation drugs, tobacco, others
- Addictions ( electronic, others)
- Preventative measures if living alone at home for safety,
- Cleanliness of home, personal hygiene
- Paying bills on time
Every decade is a new beginning into an elderly’s health and journey. As no two humans are alike, comparisons cannot be made in any context. The best is to be proactive, but not fearful. Empowerment through education is key. While this topic can be dug deeper, we would love to hear your thoughts, comments from your part of the world… as always, please feel free to share with us .
Until then, wishing mihygge in every milestone, to our older adults! Thank you.