What Health Issues Are Commonly Faced By The Elderly?

People around the world are living longer. The average life expectancy has increased and is now above 60 years. Reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that 41% of the individuals above the age of 65 are living a healthy life. While this is some good news, planning for your future is important. As you take financial precautions in planning your retired life, you must take proper care for your health too. After all, health is wealth. All you earn and plan is to lead a healthy life once you are done with the responsibilities for kids and family.

There are a varied number of health concerns that are faced by most older people. Some of them are serious, whereas some are commonly noticed across the age-group. Ailments that are hereditary in your family, your age and lifestyle are a significant factor for the various health issues that you might face.

While all these concerns have an equal chance of not occurring, it is always better to have a back-up plan. Health insurance plans are the perfect safety-net that can help you enjoy your relaxing years.

Let us look at the commonly faced health concerns by the elders –

Cognitive decline

As you age, your cognitive response begins to decline slowly. This is noticed in senior citizens. While some cognitive decline is common, the more extreme case of such old-age problems is Alzheimer’s disease. It is a severe stage of cognitive decline wherein your brain cells degenerate, leading to loss of memory. Most health insurance for senior citizenscovers such health concerns that only arise in the later stage of your life.

Balance Issues

As you grow older, your body balance declines. Older adults can stumble while walking and lose their body balance, making them prone to injuries. Such injuries at times, take a while to recover, thereby reducing mobility.

Respiratory Problems

The older you grow, the capacity of your lungs starts to decline. At times, this can be the reason for you to develop respiratory ailments. Some conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can aggravate your problem. In case you already have a respiratory condition, it is better to take necessary precautions to avoid worsening it. Health insurance plansthat are designed for senior citizens ensure these commonly occurring problems are covered under them.

Vision or Hearing Loss

You must have noticed that as your parents grow older, they struggle with vision. Along with eyesight, hearing also takes a hit. It is due to the degeneration of the muscles in the eyes and ears. Moreover, cataracts and glaucoma are some eyesight related problems that appear as you age. To financially protect yourself against such ailments, buying health insurance for senior citizens is the right way to go ahead.

Weakening of the Bones

There have been instances where your neighbourhood grandparents often injure themselves. These injuries happen due to the weakening of bone mass as you grow older. In some cases, elders have seen to develop osteoporosis where the body is not able to replenish the bone tissue. It may result in weakening of the bones and makes the elderly more susceptible to fractures.

These are some of the commonly faced health concerns by the elderly. One way to prevent them is by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. But to add a more protective layer, you can opt for a health cover. Use a health insurance premium calculator available on the insurer’s website before buying a suitable plan for you and your family.

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