Women's Health and Safety important even at an Older Age

Most women ignore their health as they focus on handling family responsibilities and careers. Unfortunately, after they age, older women suffer from more chronic and on-going medical problems than their male counterparts. They are also likely to suffer from comorbidities making them easily prone to serious infections and injuries. Hence, it is important to take care of their bodies and safety for healthy ageing.

Studies also reveal that elderly women have more problems related to memory and cognition making it difficult for them to easily execute activities of daily living. Care options like assisted living facilities are indeed a boon for such ladies as they need some form of external support for doing the routine tasks. Athulya Assisted Living is an incredible choice that ensures a seamless and safe transition to ageing through its personalized comprehensive service offerings.

Residents here can lead a blissful and healthy retired lifestyle thanks to the assistance given for medication management, unique and nutritious dining experience and fitness program for seniors. Other initiatives like workshops for senior hobbies, social gatherings and yoga for seniors ensure that they lead a purposeful existence.

Common Changes in Older Women’s Health

• Hormonal and menopausal disorders
• Decrease in fertility rate
• Lack of sleep
• Greater risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis
• Hair fall
• Loss of collagen leading to wrinkled or dry skin
• Poor eyesight
• Obesity tendency
• Higher risk of uterine fibroid
• Loss of sweat glands
• Weakened immune system
• Stress

Tips to Maintain Better Health, Fitness and Safety

• Annual Health Check-up and Screening - Make sure that you visit the doctor and have a complete medical check-up every year as a precautionary measure. Since prevention is always better and easier than cure, it is advisable to undergo certain screening tests regularly. Some of the tests recommended for elderly ladies include diabetes, blood pressure and lipid profile check, bone health evaluation, mammograms, colorectal cancer screening, mental health check-up, hearing, vision and eyesight tests.
• Periodic Vaccination - Immunisation plays a critical role in keeping you healthy and preventing fatalities. It is particularly crucial when pandemics like the current COVID 19 prevail as older women are likely to have compromised immune systems. The vaccines that are recommended include those for flu, tetanus, shingles, cervical cancer and pneumonia.
• Essential Medications and Supplements - It is important to take only the required medications and health supplements by consulting your family physician. Do not overload the body with unnecessary supplements or take an overdose of drugs. If there are medication side effects or unusual symptoms, it is best to have a review with the doctor immediately.
• Healthy Rainbow Platter - Though older women need lesser calories, the food taken must be nutritious. So, develop a personal diet plan to include a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, fibrous foods, healthy carbohydrates and fats and proteins. It is also vital to include calcium and Vitamin D foods like milk, yogurt and cheese to keep your bones and teeth strong.
• Smoking and alcohol consumption must also be avoided strictly.
• Fall Prevention - As senior ladies are at higher risk of osteoporosis, injuries and fractures, maintaining healthy bones is a necessity. A daily dosage of 1500 milligram of calcium is therefore advised. You must also take vitamin D to ensure proper absorption of calcium. For preventing falls, make sure that the home is clutter-free, well-lit and use anti-skid mats and grab bars in the bathrooms and walking areas.
• Security - Elderly ladies should not ignore their safety. Burglar alarms may be installed in homes of those living alone. When stepping outside they may use real-time GPS trackers, smart watches or wearables and distress alarms to send alerts if they are in danger or face emergencies.
• Physical and Mental Fitness Activities - Since obesity is a common concern in old age, women should ensure that they remain physically active and exercise regularly. A combination of bone-building exercises like walking and jogging, weight-bearing activities, stretching, balancing and flexibility exercises must be done. Exercise also improves sleep, blood circulation and heart health, elevates mood and enhances brain functioning. For mental health, reading, listening to music, meeting friends, playing board games, Sudoku, crossword and jigsaw puzzles may be done.
• Skin care - With age, the skin becomes wrinkled, puffed and tanned easily. To prevent this, elderly ladies must remain sufficiently hydrated, use wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen lotions.