Being diagnosed with a serious or critical illness in aging can be devastating physically, mentally and emotionally. While it is surely difficult to be strong and not give up, it helps to remember those who care about you. They will never give up on you and you honor them by not giving up on yourself either.
Accepting the diagnosis is the first hurdle. We like to believe sometimes that we are invincible and there is only healthy aging. Once you are able to accept your circumstance you can begin to take the first steps toward controlling it and not letting it control you. The first necessary step is to educate yourself about the disease with which you have been afflicted. Knowledge is power and by understanding what your body is going through, you are able to support it in its battle.
The Internet is a great source of information and could be your first stop for research. However, you must be sure that you are certain as to the credentials of the site providing you with the information. There is a lot false information, so be sure to only visit sites you can trust like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This personal research is just meant to provide a little reassurance and understanding. Your main source of information should be your treating doctor. Listen to what your doctor has to say about your condition and be sure to ask questions; even the hard ones.
Emotion and mental stress and aguish are extremely common when struggling to come to terms with a serious diagnosis. This is unfortunate, because stess and depression are serioius enough illnesses on their own. While you may feel hopeless and alone it is important to remember that you are not. Reach out to those around you and be honest about what you are feeling and going through. Be frank about your feelings with your doctor and seek professional counselling if it is necessary.
If your condition is complicate or unusual it may be beneficial to seek a second opinion. Just be care that your are not using the pursuit of a second opinion as a mask of denial. If your diagnosis is clear cut, then it may be better to focus your efforts on treatment instead of a faint hope that you aren’t really sick.
Be sure to help yourself by sticking to your treatment plan. Give your body an additional boost by eating right and getting plenty of rest. But don’t shut yourself out from everyone else. This can take an emotional toll which ultimately can serve to work against you. Try to be sociable and don’t isolate yourself. Ask your doctor about any support groups for your condition or seek one out online. Talking to others who are going through the same thing you are can do wonders for your mental health. You have the opportunity to help others as well which can be equally therapeutic.
It is never easy to have to live through trying times like this regardless of how old you are. Do the right things for the right reasons and accept help when offered will make coping with illness in aging much more endurable.
From the moment we are born are bodies begin a journey of change. Our bodies grow and get stronger through childhood and adolescence. Eventually however we reach a peak. Beyond this point our body’s functions begin to decline. We become more prone to illness and disease.
Take Responsibility
This natural lifelong change is not beyond our influence. Leading a healthy aging lifestyle as you get older will give your body the additional strength it needs to combat this evolution. It is your responsibility to get proper sleep and exercise as you age. You should also avoid excessive use of alcohol, caffeine and tobacco etc. As your body changes due age and is more susceptible to disease and injury, you want to give it the best fighting chance you can.
Get Regular Checkups
It is essential to see your doctor for regular checkups as age. Your doctor will conduct routine tests to ensure that your overall health is appropriate for your age and personal circumstances. By knowing your family history your doctor can be proactive and watch for potential diseases before it is too late for treatment.
It is not just your family doctor who you should see regularly, but your eye doctor as well. After age 35 it is very common for your eyesight to deteriorate to the point where you would require glasses or other corrective lenses. The sooner this is identified, the sooner you can benefit form treatment. This will allow you a better quality of life in addition to avoiding headaches from having to strain to see things clearly.
Your hearing is another victim of getting aging body changes. It is natural to lose a degree of hearing as you age. This can cause a whole slew of frustrations and anxieties. Your interpersonal relationships may become strained due to misunderstandings in what is said and what is heard. You may be prescribed a hearing aid, but feel to ashamed or embarrassed to where it. It may help to remember that you are certainly not alone in the bodily changes and while your health is not what it once was, we are fortunate that medicine and science has evolved to the point where there are suitable treatments for the majority of these challenges.
Watch What You Eat
Weight control is a serious problem for people of all ages, not just seniors. For some life is a never ending battle of dieting, frustration and disappointment. Yet while it seems hopeless, it is very important to not give up or lose sight of the tremendous strain obesity puts on our bodies as we age. If you are able to keep your weight gain to a reasonable rate you will be far better off when you are in your more fragile elderly years.
Remember life is a journey and while we can not slow down or speed up the pace we can significantly control the quality of the “vehicle” we travel in. Eat right, sleep well and excursive are a simple but proven recipe for long lasting health. Visit your medical professionals regularly for a tune up and your aging body changes are nothing to worry about.
Healthy Aging 