International Day For Older Persons
Do you remember your grandma telling stories at bedtime, making you lost in a fantasy world?
We all still have those beautiful memories within our minds, and a child within us still wants to hear those children’s stories.
But as we grow as adults, we often get busy in our hectic lives bound with new responsibilities. At this time, we should remember our grandparents and take care of their needs.
International Day of Older Persons is celebrated on 1st October every year. This day focuses on raising awareness of senior citizens' issues, such as health problems and elder abuse.
The United Nations General Assembly introduced the International Day of the Elderly to celebrate the contribution of older persons and to take care of their everyday problems.
The 2022 year's theme for International Day of Older Persons is “Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World.”
This day is also observed to recognize senior citizens' contributions to our society, ensuring that they receive their rights and basic requirements, thereby ensuring their overall well-being.
Contributions of Older People!
Older adults have always led the way, held our hands, and safeguarded, loved, and cared for us. Our job is to return the kindness and make their golden years memorable.
We are privileged to have them in our lives, whether they are relatives, friends, or neighbors. They are wellsprings of knowledge, experience, and storytelling. They can motivate us to work harder or alert us of dangers, and we should seek their advice whenever possible. Unfortunately, far too frequently, we forget their presence in our lives.
However, older people are also highly vulnerable, with many falling into poverty and experiencing chronic health problems.
The old age problems usually consists of:
- Aging - Difficult to do everyday tasks and restricted mobility
- Financial problems
- Health issues - Both mental and physical
- Social isolation
- Access to medical services
Let us take care of our elders!
As we age, our bodies progressively weaken, making us more susceptible to illnesses; therefore good healthcare is necessary at this point.
Some of the common health problems faced by the elders are as follows:
Blood Pressure: A high blood pressure in old age can be due to – obesity, prehypertension, drug side effects, diabetes, genetic factors, prehypertension, sedentary lifestyle, and stress can all lead to high blood pressure. Precautions includes:
- Consuming fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products.
- A low-sodium diet
- Having an ideal weight
- Regular exercises for 30 minutes daily
- Stop smoking and limiting alcohol intake
- Drinking more water
- Low stress levels - yoga and meditation
Diabetes: More than 60% of senior citizens were reported diabetics in the majority of states in India. Diabetes constitutes a major part of non-communicable diseases in India. The World Economic Forum referred to diabetes as the silent epidemic, making it a more severe illness than Covid-19.
Diabetes is another common problem in the elderly, with high blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes is more common in older adults, and it can arise if the person is inactive, overweight, or has a family history of diabetes. To protect the senior citizens' health, one can help them check their glucose levels regularly, choose a healthier diet, and make sure they take their prescribed medicines on time.
Back and Joint Pain: Joint pain is expected after the age of 60, which can be caused by environmental factors, family history, physical activity, injury and so on. The most commonly affected areas are the knees, lower back, neck, shoulder, spine and toes.
Osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis are the two most common causes of back pain. Regular tests and body checks are required to ensure appropriate therapy when early symptoms appear.
Conclusion:Although there are more problems to deal with once you reach the age of 60, it is important to keep these three in mind when it comes to being healthy.
Let's not forget our elders' love and care and encourage their dignity and respect!
