As people age, staying healthy doesn’t just happen by chance. Preventing diseases before they occur requires you to make smart lifestyle choices and to engage regularly with a healthcare provider so you can maintain good health and a positive quality of life.
By focusing on habits like:
- eating well
- staying active
- getting immunized, and
- keeping up with screenings
you can protect your physical and mental health, manage any chronic conditions that develop, and continue to enjoy an active, fulfilling life well into your later years.
How to prevent or delay getting a disease
It’s easy to ignore health advice when you’re young, but as you age, you won’t necessarily “bounce back” like you used to. Over time, the effects of unhealthy habits can catch up with you as you get older.
Prevention is the best medicine. Making healthy choices can have an immediate and lasting impact on your physical and mental health.
Some tips for healthy aging include:
Quit tobacco use – Smoking, vaping, and other forms of tobacco use are major risk factors for cancer, respiratory and cardiac issues, as well as diabetes and kidney disease. Giving up tobacco can reduce the symptoms of allergies, asthma, and chronic sinusitis, as well as making a positive impact on your overall health.
Limit alcohol consumption – Regular alcohol use contributes to a wide variety of health problems, including liver disease, heart disease, stroke, kidney issues, GI problems, mental health conditions, and even death. Quitting alcohol, or drinking less, can help lower your health risks.
Maintain a healthy diet – Nutritional needs change as our bodies age: for example, women over 50 and men over 70 should increase their calcium intake to reduce bone loss. Your doctor can offer guidance on a variety of nutrition and dietary changes that will support your health.
Manage stress and mental health – It’s ok to seek help for mental health concerns. Your primary care provider can offer caring support, prescribe medications, and provide resources or a referral to a psychologist if needed.
Exercise regularly – Even if you can’t work out like you used to, regular exercise can make a difference in your mobility. In addition to weight lifting and cardio, balance exercises can help prevent falls, which are a leading cause of death among adults over age 65.
Stay up to date with immunizations – It’s important to stay up to date with your vaccinations, because it’s more likely for individuals to have complications from infections as they age. And folks who have one or more chronic conditions are at higher risk of severe illness when they do get sick, so getting vaccinated can protect your health and the health of those around you.
Prioritize sleep – Sleep is essential for many aspects of health, including memory, mood, cognitive and immune function. Sleep issues such as insomnia or sleep apnea may become more of a problem as a person ages, due to a variety of factors. Uncontrolled sleep apnea can increase the risk of developing A-fib, weight gain or obesity, high blood pressure, and dementia. If sleep is a problem for you, a WWMG Sleep Medicine specialist can help.
See your dentist – Maintaining oral health is not just about keeping a pretty smile. Recent research shows a link between poor oral health and serious medical conditions like heart disease. Visit a dentist twice a year for teeth cleaning, and don’t put off any dental work they recommend.
Many chronic health conditions can be prevented or delayed by making some or all of the healthy lifestyle choices listed above. And often, those same choices are also part of the treatments if you do develop diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, high cholesterol, or another health condition.
Which health screenings can prevent disease?
Many adults avoid medical care unless they feel sick, but health screenings are important because they can identify a disease or risks in people who don’t have symptoms yet.
Early diagnosis of a condition makes it more likely for treatment to be effective, and can sometimes prevent a disease from progressing to the point where it disrupts a person’s life.
There are general recommendations for health screenings, which can vary for individuals based on their family history, health risks, and lifestyle factors:
- Blood Pressure – have your blood pressure checked at least once/year, or more often if you have hypertension.
- Cholesterol – get your cholesterol tested every 4-6 years, or more often if you have a family history of heart disease or other risk factors.
- Cancer – Some common cancer screenings include colon cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, and skin cancer. Many cancer screenings are routinely recommended at specific ages.
- Hearing – Hearing loss happens gradually over time, affecting one in three adults over age 65. However, hearing loss is happening at younger ages due to multiple factors. Get screened so you know where you stand.
- Vision – Adults and children should have their vision checked every two years, and after age 65, annual vision screenings are recommended.
Ask your WWMG Primary Care provider which screenings you need based on your age and current health status. Many screenings can be performed during an annual checkup. They may also refer you for diagnostic testing or to specialists, to confirm or rule out diagnosis of chronic diseases.
Are chronic health problems the price of growing older?
Despite a person’s best efforts, chronic health conditions can simply feel like the price of growing older. The most recent data indicate that nearly 93% of adults aged 65 and older had at least one chronic condition in 2023, and close to 79% have two or more.
More than half of adults over age 65 have hypertension, high cholesterol, and/or arthritis. Managing these conditions effectively is critical to maintaining a positive quality of life in one’s later years.
Conditions like heart disease and diabetes can be life-threatening if untreated—but with careful management they don’t have to limit a full and active life.
In fact, after having symptoms for years, once many seniors receive a diagnosis and begin treatment, many will start to feel better and their health will improve dramatically.
In what groups is depression most common?
Younger generations are more open about discussing mental health, however, older adults also experience depression.
More than half of patients with depression experience it for the first time later in life. And suicide rates are higher among older generations because they are less likely to seek help.
Depression is more common in people who have medical conditions such as:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Sleep problems, or
- Limitations in daily functioning
– and these are all issues that become more likely to occur as people age.
Some ways to support your mental health include: managing stress, staying connected with family and friends, engaging in lifelong learning, and trying new things. In addition, going for a walk or doing physical activity outdoors (even on a cloudy day) has been proven to increases dopamine levels in the brain, which can reduce depression.
If you consistently struggle to stay positive and enjoy activities that you once loved, you may have undiagnosed depression. Make an appointment with your WWMG primary care provider for an assessment. They can help, or may refer you to additional behavioral health services or a psychologist for further evaluation and care.
How to stay healthy as you get older
If you’re fortunate enough to grow old, you don’t have to leave your quality of life up to pure luck. With healthy habits, preventive care, and the right support, you can lead an active and fulfilling life for many years to come.
If you need support and guidance to implement these healthy aging tips, request an appointment with a WWMG Primary Care provider as a first step. They can evaluate your needs, provide individualized treatment options, and connect you to valuable resources to support your health.
At WWMG, our providers are here to partner with you – from annual checkups and screenings to managing mental health and chronic health conditions – so you can make the most of every age and stage of your life.