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Five Most Common Diseases of the Elderly
Poor lifestyle choices and the natural ageing process make elderly people more susceptible to many health conditions. Fortunately, some of them can be prevented or their progression slowed by making smart choices and visiting your doctor regularly.

A common condition among the elderly is Alzheimer’s disease. This causes memory loss and a decline in mental and behavioural skills.
1. Cancer

Cancer is a disease that causes cells to grow out of control by ignoring the signals that normally stop them from growing or stopping them altogether. Some cancers are inherited, while others are caused by exposure to carcinogens or genetic mutations that occur over time.

As people age, their chances of getting a bacterial infection like pneumonia rise due to changes in the lung capacity and lowered resistance to illness. The elderly are especially susceptible to infections caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and Clostridium difficile, which are commonly prescribed antibiotic treatments. Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are common among seniors as well. They are more likely to experience a UTI if they have catheters or diabetes. Behavioral changes including confusion and dementia, or urinary incontinence are often warning signs.
2. Chronic Kidney Disease

Many of the diseases and illnesses that develop in older age are chronic, meaning they persist over time. They can be a result of long-term health conditions or from the aging process itself, and they may occur in combination with each other.

medical alert necklace for seniors Kidney disease is one such condition, and it usually doesn't cause any symptoms until the disease reaches an advanced stage. In that case, symptoms include blood in the urine, swollen ankles and feet due to fluid retention, and fatigue.

Another common disease in the elderly is high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. This disease damages blood vessels and increases the risk of serious (and potentially fatal) conditions like heart disease.
3. Chronic Bronchitis

Bronchitis occurs when the lining of your lungs (called the bronchial tubes) becomes irritated and inflamed, leading to mucus buildup that makes it difficult to breathe. Symptoms include a cough that produces mucus and chest tightness. People who have chronic bronchitis experience the same symptoms over and over again, unlike acute bronchitis, which fades within a few weeks. Dementia GPS Tracker It can also lead to emphysema, which is when the airways of your lungs become permanently damaged.

You can prevent chronic bronchitis by not smoking and staying away from lung irritants such as secondhand smoke, air pollution, chemical fumes and dusts. You can also improve your breathing by practicing a simple technique called pursed-lip breathing. Personal Alarms Getting your yearly flu shot and pneumonia vaccine may help as well.
4. Diabetes

Diabetes can cause severe and sometimes life-threatening problems in elderly people. It is the seventh leading cause of death among those 65 and older. It is also a major reason for hospitalizations in this age group.

Blood glucose levels normally rise after meals and then return to pre-meal levels, but in people with diabetes the blood sugar level remains high. This can lead to serious complications such as heart disease, kidney damage, eye problems and nerve pain.

Some conditions like pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis and hemochromatosis can lead to damage to the pancreas, causing Type 3c diabetes. Certain medications can also lead to a condition called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). Sudden changes in an elderly person’s behavior, dementia confusion and urinary tract infections are common warning signs of diabetes.
5. Osteoporosis

Age is the primary risk factor for osteoporosis, but you can improve your bone health and slow or prevent new bone loss with healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and avoiding smoking. Certain inherited diseases increase your risk, including complex regional pain syndrome, scoliosis, chronic lower respiratory disease (chronic bronchitis or emphysema), and Parkinson's disease.

Osteoporosis causes two million broken bones and $19 billion in costs each year. It is a silent disease and often people do not know they have it until they suffer a fracture or break. When looked at under a microscope, healthy bone has small spaces that resemble honeycomb, but osteoporosis causes the holes and spaces in the bones to get larger, making the bones weaker and thinner. The most common areas for osteoporotic breaks are in the hip, wrists, and spine.
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