Issues Affecting the Aged

How would you feel if you needed assistance to get out of bed each morning or whenever you saw family members you could not recognize who they are? What about someone having to help you grocery shop, get dressed, or eat each day. These types of issues are what the elderly go through everyday. There are many issues which the elderly go through everyday ranging from mental to physical to issues which one has no control over. A few of the basic concerns for the elderly are health (chronic disease), death, and loneliness in which every older person will have to deal with one of these at some point in their life.

If the elderly are lucky one would only have to deal with one of the three major concerns but most individuals experience all three or a combination of sorts. Chronic diseases which can include heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke are an extension of what people do, or don’t do, as people go about their daily lives. Eighty-eight percent of those over 65 years of age have at least one chronic health condition (Senior resource). Bad habits, such as smoking, drinking and poor diet or the lack of physical activity are the main factors which lead to chronic illness. The battle against chronic illness starts early on in life and one must start early to combat theses issues. If one waits until the age of fifty to start combating the effects of chronic illnesses they may be too late.

Loneliness along with depression is a major concern and bump in the road for most elderly people. The two go hand in hand with each other, if one is lonely then one is depressed and vice versa, if one is depressed than one is lonely. A major cause of depression can include the loss of a loved one or ones. Depression technically is a medical condition with declining health issues which can cripple the every day function of a person’s life. Depression can not only affect ones moods, behaviors, and feelings but also can affect a person physically too. Physical complaints such as stomach aches, headaches or increase/decrease in weight can all be caused by depression (Eldercare).

Loneliness which can be caused by being depressed and or not having a proper support system is a major concern for the elderly especially for those who have lost a life partner. A way to combat loneliness is to stay involved and join social groups. One can make sure they receive regular visits from grandchildren or join any a number of groups available for the elderly. Volunteering is also a way for the elderly to stay socially active. This allows the elderly to meet new people and a good support system can counter loneliness and goes a long way toward dispelling feelings of isolation(Senior resource).

Death or the fear of death is something all elderly go through. How am I going to die? Will I die in my sleep? Who will take care of my loved ones, my animals? These are some questions which the elderly will ask themselves. Compared with middle-age adults, elders focus more on practical matters of how and when death might happen (Berk, 2004). As the elderly ages, one is able to easier accept death than when one is younger. Culture and religion play a role in the anxiety which one goes through as they await death.

Although there are many issues or worries the