Introduction to Aging and Geriatrics

Aging & Geriatrics

Great improvements in medicine, public health, science, and technology have enabled today's older Americans to live longer and healthier lives than previous generations. Older adults want to remain healthy and independent at home in their communities. Society wants to minimize the health care and economic costs associated with an increasing older population. The science of aging indicates that chronic disease and disability are not inevitable. As a result, health promotion and disease prevention activities and programs are an increasing priority for older adults, their families, and the health care system.

Many people fail to make the connection between undertaking healthy behaviors today and the impact of these choices later in life. Studies indicate that healthy eating, physical activity, mental stimulation, not smoking, active social engagement, moderate use of alcohol, maintaining a safe environment, social support, and regular health care are important in maintaining he...More

Fast Facts: Learn! Fast!

What healthy choices should those who are aging make?

  • Choosing a doctor is one of the most important decisions anyone can make. The best time to make that decision is while you are still healthy and have time to really think about all your choices.
  • Studies show that endurance activities help prevent or delay many diseases that seem to come with age. In some cases, endurance activity can also improve chronic diseases or their symptoms.
  • You can improve your health if you move more and eat better!
  • As you grow older, you may need less energy from what you eat, but you still need just as many of the nutrients in food.
  • The Federal Government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly encourage older adults to be immunized against flu, pneumococcal disease, tetanus and diphtheria, and chickenpox, as well as measles, mumps, and rubella.
  • Sunlight is a major cause of the skin changes we think of as aging — changes such as wrinkles, dryness, and age spots.

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What medical issues can those who are aging face?

  • Age can bring changes that affect your eyesight.
  • About one-third of Americans older than age 60 and about half the people who are 85 and older have hearing loss. Whether a hearing loss is small (missing certain sounds) or large (being profoundly deaf), it is a serious concern.
  • Menopause is the time around the age of 51 when your body makes much less of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone and you stop having periods, which can cause troublesome symptoms for some women.
  • The risk of osteoporosis grows as you get older. Ten million Americans have osteoporosis, and 8 million of them are women.
  • Prostate problems are common in men age 50 and older. There are many different kinds of prostate problems and treatments vary but prostate problems can often be treated without affecting sexual function.
  • Loss of bladder control is called urinary incontinence and at least 1 in 10 people age 65 or older has this problem.
  • In order to meet the criteria for an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis, a person's cognitive deficits must cause significant impairment in occupational and/or social functioning.

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What mental health issues can those who are aging face?

  • Because the aging process affects how the body handles alcohol, the same amount of alcohol can have a greater effect as a person grows older. Over time, someone whose drinking habits haven’t changed may find she or he has a problem.
  • There are many reasons why depression in older people is often missed or untreated. The good news is that people who are depressed often feel better with the right treatment.

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News Articles

  • AHA News: Tiring Easily May Warn of Future Heart Trouble

    Fatigue is universal, a feeling that becomes increasingly familiar as people get older. But when you fatigue too easily, it may not just be related to age but a reflection of your chance of having a stroke or heart attack in the near future. More...

  • Tight Blood Pressure Control Could Help Save Aging Brains

    Staying sharp and warding off dementia might rely, in part, on doing your best to keep high blood pressure at bay. More...

  • Too Much Napping May Signal Alzheimer's

    If you often find yourself dosing off during the day, new research suggests it might be an early warning sign that you have Alzheimer's disease. More...

  • Health Tip: Fatigue in Older Adults

    For older adults, being tired here and there may be common, says the National Institute on Aging. More...

  • Heart-Healthy Habits Good For Your Brain

    Want to reduce your risk of dementia? Take care of your heart. More...

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    • Despite Cancer Screening, 'Oldest Old' Have Low Survival Odds: Study

      The oldest Americans have higher cancer screening rates but lower cancer survival rates than younger seniors, a new report shows. More...

    • Stay Social to Help Cut Your Odds of Dementia

      The evidence continues to mount that staying socially engaged as you age helps keep dementia at bay. More...

    • Frailty Not a Normal Part of Aging

      But it's not just a byproduct of aging: Frailty is a standalone medical condition, researchers report. More...

    • Anemia Linked to Higher Odds for Dementia in Seniors

      Even mild anemia -- low levels of hemoglobin in the blood -- may raise a person's odds for Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, a new study finds. More...

    • It's Not Just College Kids: Many Seniors Are Binge Drinking, Too

      Binge drinking is often associated with young adults, but according to a new study, more than 10% of people over 65 do it, too. More...

    • Middle Age Now a High-Risk Time for Bad Falls

      Serious falls aren't the sole domain of seniors: New research shows they are a significant risk among middle-aged adults. More...

    • Could Extra Weight Weaken Your Brain?

      Extra pounds and a wider waistline won't do your brain any favors as you get older, a new study suggests. More...

    • At Risk for Alzheimer's? Exercise Might Help Keep It at Bay

      Even if you are at high risk for Alzheimer's disease, a little more exercise may buy you time, new research suggests. More...

    • Healthy Living Can Cut Odds for Alzheimer's in People at Genetic Risk

      Even if you are unlucky enough to carry genes that predispose you to Alzheimer's disease, a healthy lifestyle can minimize that risk, new research shows. More...

    • More Evidence That Socializing Helps Protect the Aging Brain

      Join a book club, take a cruise or just visit friends -- new research supports the notion that social activities help stave off mental decline as you age. More...

    • Could Computers, Crafts Help Preserve the Aging Brain?

      Keeping your brain active as you age, whether it be working on a computer, playing games or being socially involved, might ward off memory loss, a new study suggests. More...

    • Ageism Disappears When Young and Old Spend Time Together

      Ageism is pervasive throughout society, and harmful to young and old alike. But a new study finds some simple steps can help erase it. More...

    • Meals on Wheels Delivers an Extra Health Bonus for Seniors

      Meals on Wheels might do more than deliver hot food to isolated seniors: New research suggests it can serve as an early warning system for declining health. More...

    • Survey Urges Grandparents to Lock Down Their Meds When Kids Visit

      Many American seniors fail to secure their medications when grandchildren are around, putting kids at risk of accidental poisoning, an alarming new survey finds. More...

    • 3 Moves for Better Balance

      Guarding against falls isn't just for the elderly. The inner ear's ability to maintain balance can begin to decline as early as age 40, according to a study in Frontiers of Neurology. So the time to improve your balance is now. More...

    • Forget the Past: Get Moving Now and Live Longer

      Stop agonizing over the decades you spent glued to the couch. New research shows that physically active middle-aged and older adults live longer -- even if they were inactive when they were younger. More...

    • Lonely Baby Boomers Driving Surge in Plastic Surgery

      Baby boomers hoping to retain their youth -- and maybe get back into the dating scene -- are seeking plastic surgery in ever-increasing numbers, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. More...

    • Health Tip: Preventing Glaucoma

      Certain ethnic groups, the elderly and people who have family members with glaucoma are at a higher risk than others for the eye disease, says the Glaucoma Research Foundation. More...

    • Education, Intelligence Might Protect Your Brain

      Being smart and highly educated may not prevent Alzheimer's disease, but it appears to delay the disease's impact on everyday life, a new study suggests. More...

    • Bones Help Black People Keep Facial Aging at Bay

      Why do so many black adults continue to look youthful as they age? More...

    • Could You Afford Home Health Care? New Study Says Maybe Not

      The seniors most likely to need paid home care to maintain independent living are the least likely to be able to afford it long-term, a new study reports. More...

    • For Some, Trouble Tracking Finances Could Be Sign of Dementia

      If someone you know is struggling to keep track of their finances as they age, early dementia might be the culprit. More...

    • Falls Are Increasingly Lethal for Older Americans

      Deaths from falls are increasing sharply among elderly Americans, a new study finds. More...

    • Many Middle-Aged Men May Have Signs of Thinning Bones

      Brittle bones are often seen as a woman's health issue, but low bone mass may be more common among middle-aged men than generally thought, a small study suggests. More...

    • Though 'Donut Hole' Is Shrinking, Medicare Drug Costs Are Rising: Study

      Seniors' out-of-pocket costs for cancer drugs continue to rise steadily, with patients paying thousands of dollars each year despite efforts to close the Medicare Part D "donut hole," researchers said. More...

    • Senior Falls a Key Factor for Hospital Readmission

      Fall-related injuries are a major reason why seniors are readmitted to the hospital within a month after being discharged, a new study finds. More...

    • Rising Rx Drug Costs Continue to Create Tough Choices for Seniors

      A solid minority of senior citizens still struggles to afford their prescription medications, a new government report shows. More...

    • Take a New View of Aging

      The way you view aging can affect how well you manage stress. More...

    • The Best Exercises for Brain Health

      There's a lot you can learn from your elders, starting with the results of a multi-year study of exercise and brain health in seniors. More...

    • Sudoku, Crosswords Could Make Your Brain Years Younger

      Mornings spent figuring out Sudoku or finessing a crossword could spell better health for aging brains, researchers say. More...

    • Huhn? Scientists Working on Hearing Aid That Solves the 'Cocktail Party' Problem

      Chances are if you're over 60 it's already happened to you: You're in a crowded room and finding it tough to understand what your partner is saying a couple of feet away. More...

    • Brain Bleed Risk Puts Safety of Low-Dose Aspirin in Doubt

      Let's say you're one of the millions of older adults who takes a low-dose aspirin religiously, in the belief that it will guard against heart disease and heart attacks. More...

    • Health Tip: Wellness for Older Adults

      Living a healthy lifestyle can impact both your lifespan and quality of life, says the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. More...

    • 'Robopets' Bring Companionship, Calm to Nursing Home Residents

      Cuddler the bear, Aibo the dog, Justocat the purring kitty: They may only be furry, lifelike robots, but they have a made a real impact in nursing homes. More...

    • Potentially Blinding Shingles of the Eye on the Rise

      The virus that gave you chickenpox as a kid can rise again after decades of inactivity and inflict a painful, even blinding, eye infection in old age. More...

    • Anger a Threat to Health in Old Age

      The loss of loved ones can hit the elderly particularly hard, but a new study suggests it's anger, and not sadness, that may damage the aging body more. More...

    • Morning Exercise Kick-Starts Seniors' Brains

      Want a quick brain boost? A morning session of exercise and short walks throughout the day provide a number of brain benefits for older adults, a new study says. More...

    • How Does Age Affect Creativity? Nobel Prize Winners Offer Clues

      Creativity doesn't fade as you get older, but it may change, a new study shows. More...

    • Most U.S. Middle-Class Seniors Will Lack Funds for Assisted Living by 2029

      A decade from now, more than half of middle-class seniors in the United States will be unable to afford needed housing and personal assistance, a new study contends. More...

    • Health Tip: Improving Your Memory

      Memory loss is common, but should not be taken lightly, says Mayo Clinic. More...

    • Even a Little More Exercise Might Help Your Brain Stay Young

      Alzheimer's and dementia are not an inevitable part of normal aging, and a little exercise might help keep them at bay, a new study suggests. More...

    • Can't Work Out During the Week? 'Weekend Warriors' Still Benefit

      Daily exercise may be the ideal, but even weekend workouts might prolong your life, a new study suggests. More...

    • AHA News: Here's How Middle-Aged People -- Especially Women -- Can Avoid a Heart Attack

      A specific type called cardiorespiratory fitness may help predict the odds of having a heart attack, especially for women, new research shows. More...

    • Financial Scammers Often Prey on People With Early Dementia

      When older adults fall prey to scam artists, it might in some cases be an early warning of Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests. More...

    • Pros, Cons to Multiple Meds for Nursing Home Residents

      There's an upside and a downside to prescribing nursing home residents a long list of medicines, new research confirms. More...

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