According to some research, 87% of people have a fear of aging.
However, learning about the aging process could help take some of the fear out of it.
If you’re interested in learning more about what happens to aging parents or adults, keep reading to learn about what to expect so that you can prepare for it.
Eye Issues
Eye issues are one of the first things that happen to aging adults around the age of forty. Most people will need reading glasses because the eye lenses start to get stiff and can’t refocus between distance and up close vision.
Other problems that could come up include cataracts, where the lens ends up getting more cloudy. This is more common when people reach the age of sixty. People who have been exposed to long-term sunlight could have an increased risk for cataracts, but if they’re caught early enough, you can get surgery to fix this.
Other issues include when people have worse peripheral vision. Or, you could have a worse central vision. This is a serious eye condition known as glaucoma. This happens when the eye pressure increases and damages the optic nerve.
If caught early enough, this could be treated with surgery as well. In general, you should have your eyes examined every year, but if you notice any of the symptoms above, then you should go to the eye doctor as soon as possible. If you have a family history of eye disease, then you should have preventative checkups more often.
Digestive Complications
Another age-related change happens in the large intestine. This can cause constipation.
If people aren’t working out enough, eating the right foods with fiber, or drinking enough fluids, then they’re at a higher risk of being constipated. Some medications can also cause this.
To help prevent that, they should eat a healthy and balanced diet with food that has a lot of fiber. They should also try and be more physically active.
Skin Problems
As you get older, the elastic in your skin loosens, and it can start to wrinkle. Some of your features and skin might sag or droop, and your skin might look worn out or dry.
You can try and fix this with the right products, but you can also avoid sunlight, limit caffeine and alcohol, and ensure that you’re drinking enough water.
Hearing Loss
After you turn sixty, many people start to lose their hearing. They may not completely lose it, but they may need hearing aids to be able to hear things at a normal level.
If you experience hearing loss, then you may have lost some of the receptors in your inner ear. When this first happens, sounds might be muffled, and then you might not be able to hear high-pitched sounds at all.
In general, men tend to lose their hearing more than women do. In addition, you could also have drainage or pain coming from your ear.
When this happens, it could be a sign of an infection or a tumor. If you notice that you lost more hearing in one ear than the other, then you should go to the doctor immediately.
Slower Cognitive Skills
Your brain will also change as you age, and you could just have a few small changes or major differences, like Alzheimer’s. It’s normal for older adults to forget things like words or names, and it might be harder for them to remember tasks and do multiple things at once.
It could also be as bad as not remembering how to do basic functions each day and needing full-time are. Some older people also don’t remember their loved ones.
However, there are ways to slow this down. One of them is by having physical activity in your routine. This will help to increase blood flow in their brain, and this could also improve their memory too.
In addition to staying physically active, you’ll need to stay mentally active as well. This will help you keep up with your thinking and memory skills. There are many different things you could do, like a crossword puzzle, games, or anything else that will stimulate your mind.
You’ll also want to do other things, like stop smoking or reduce the alcohol that you drink. All of these can slow down your thought processes and deteriorate your brain faster. You should also talk with your doctor if you experience sudden memory loss that seems to happen overnight.
Strength Loss
As people age, they also tend to lose a lot of their muscles and tissue, which can make it harder for them to maintain their strength as well. They can use weight training to help keep some of that flexibility and strength, but if they lose too much, they may need to live in assisted living apartments.
In addition to that, other parts of your body will lose strength as well. For example, your heart’s walls will get thicker and stiffer, and your heart will slow down and stop beating as much. Because of this, it makes it harder to work out as much as you did beforehand.
Discover More About the Aging Process
These are only a few things you need to know about the aging process, but there are many other things that can happen.
It’s important to talk with your doctor to discuss any issues that you might be having and keep all of your regular doctor appointments.
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