Growing old is not a gray issue<\/p>\n
Stevie Emilia, The Jakarta Post, Singapore<\/p>\n
Aging has a different effect on people. While some women will
\nrush to the beauty clinic to get rid of wrinkles with Botox, men
\nmight find themselves giving Viagra a try.<\/p>\n
Aging, however, is a natural process that happens to us all.
\nThere is no way of stopping it, and the bad news is, women will
\nexperience it sooner than men.<\/p>\n
According to Dr. Chan Kin Ming, a consultant geriatrician at
\nGleneagles Hospital Singapore, women age first, while men catch
\nup with them about five years later.<\/p>\n
\"We can see this from the aging of bones. Women, for instance,
\nenjoy the peak of bones at the age of 30 and then after that,
\ntheir bones start ageing. They might experience osteoporosis and
\nother bone problems. Men experience it five years later than
\nwomen,\" he said. He was one of the speakers at a two-day seminar
\non positive aging, gracious living, organized by Gleneagles
\nHospital Singapore early this month.<\/p>\n
He realized that there is a misperception about aging and
\nnegative thinking toward the issue.<\/p>\n
\"Aging is irreversible, it is dependent on changes that occur
\nin biological systems once the peak of vitality has been reached.<\/p>\n
\"Growing old will not necessarily mean suffering from negative
\nhealth problems. The elderly can also enjoy a positive life ...
\nso don't follow anything blindly just to stop ageing.\"<\/p>\n
Many factors, he said, accelerate aging, like diseases, a
\ndecrease in hormones or menopause. \"Aging is a complex issue, it
\nmight be affected by many things, like genetic factors, the
\nenvironment, hormones or diet,\" Chan said.<\/p>\n
Some health problems experienced by the elderly include:<\/p>\n
* Memory disorders<\/p>\n
* Eye problems, like cataracts, glaucoma, age-related maculopathy<\/p>\n
* Cardiovascular diseases like coronary artery disease,
\nhypertension, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, sick
\nsinus syndrome, conduction defects and stroke.<\/p>\n
* Rheumatic disease, like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis<\/p>\n
* Sex problems, like erectile dysfunction in men and urogenital
\natrophy, which occurs in post-menopausal females due to low
\nlevels of estrogen and may cause vaginal dryness, dysparenia and
\nrecurrent vaginal infection.<\/p>\n
* Digestive disorders, which include reflux oesophagitis,
\nflatulence, colorectal cancer, fecal incontinence and fecal
\nimpaction.<\/p>\n
Should one fear aging?<\/p>\n
\"I don't think so, we will still age anyway. We can't ignore
\nthe fact that as we grow older we develop many diseases. The
\nimportant thing is how to think positively about ageing,\" Chan
\nsaid, insisting that the elderly maintain good health, watch
\ntheir diet, exercise and have hobbies and friends to keep their
\nmind active.<\/p>\n
Advancements in medicine and technology have lowered the
\nmortality rate and increased life spans. The global phenomenon of
\na graying population has sparked many concerns among developed
\nand developing countries.<\/p>\n
By 2020, it is estimated that the world will have more than 1
\nbillion people aged 60 and over. In Singapore, about 7 percent of
\nthe current population is aged 65 years and above, and by the
\nyear 2030, that figure will have increased to about 19 percent.<\/p>\n
\"Before, only a lucky few could reach the age of 60, but now,
\nsurviving to the age of 100 is no longer an anomaly. We see
\npatients over the age of 100 attending medical clinics and
\nhospitals,\" said Dr. Edward Leung, a consultant geriatrician and
\npresident of the Hong Kong Association of Gerontology.<\/p>\n
The increase in life expectancy, he said, brings with it new
\nchallenges, both economic and humanistic aspects, which had not
\nbeen faced before the 20th century.<\/p>\n
On the macroeconomic level, for instance, the increase in the
\nnumber of elderly people beyond the statutory retirement age
\nmeans an increasing dependency of the elderly on society's
\neconomic support -- no matter what type of retirement protection
\nis offered -- while some will depend on the government's support.<\/p>\n
\"To tackle this problem, society needs to examine ways to
\npromote economic independence of the elderly through job
\nopportunities,\" Edward said.<\/p>\n
With an escalating number of aging people, he said he also saw
\na demand for the care of the elderly as they are prone to chronic
\ndiseases, which would incur recurrent costs on specialist care
\nand hospitalization.<\/p>\n
Moreover, functional disabilities secondary to chronic and
\ndegenerative conditions, like stroke and dementia, have resulted
\nin a heavy demand for personal nursing care for the elderly, he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
\"In this century, we will need to examine ways to promote
\nhealthier aging societies, reduce dependency through preventive
\nmeasures and provide support to families caring for elderly
\nmembers,\" Edward said.<\/p>\n
The medical community could contribute to dealing with aging
\nproblems by, among other things, searching for primary and
\nsecondary preventive strategies to reduce the advent and
\ndegenerative conditions in the elderly and providing training and
\neducation to healthcare professionals on the needs of an aging
\npopulation.<\/p>\n
But again, physical well-being may not be everything.<\/p>\n
\"With the presence of medical advancements, there are many
\nphysically healthy old people around. Unfortunately, there's a
\nlack of psychological support for the elderly. In the end, they
\nmay be physically healthy, but lonely.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/growing-old-is-not-a-gray-issue-1447893297",
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