Why is a healthy lifestyle so important for older adults?

Today, many people are living longer lives, but often with chronic diseases that can truly impact the quality of those extra years. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), arthritis, and osteoporosis are among the most common health concerns for seniors but getting a diagnosis can provided much-needed motivation to take action.

It’s no secret that a well-balanced diet, regular physical activity, and other healthy lifestyle modifications are vital components of a healthy life for anyone, including seniors. Making healthy lifestyle modifications can help prevent, or more easily treat, a number of diseases and conditions, which can improve quality of life for many seniors.

Making healthy choices in life isn't always easy. As they age, seniors need support from their healthcare teams to take the path that boosts their overall health while lowering the risk of many age-related conditions.

Motivate geriatric patients to adopt a healthy lifestyle

Throughout your career in healthcare, you will be working with many geriatric patients, especially as our population continues to age. There are many changes that happen as a natural part of the aging process and understanding these changes can help you provide seniors with the support they need to maintain or improve overall health and wellness.

When you read Healthy Lifestyles for Geriatrics, you will get an overview of specific aspects of caring for aging patients, including:

• Preventive care, emphasizing essential screenings and immunizations that enable early detection of cancers and other age-related diseases
• The significance of proper nutrition, healthy eating, and dietary recommendations for older adults
• The benefits of physical activity and suggestions for seniors who have not been physically active
• Physiologic changes in the aging brain and what geriatric patients can do preventatively to help avoid and mitigate the effects of these conditions and help keep their mind healthy
• Factors that reduce the quality of sleep for older patients and suggestions for those who have difficulty sleeping
• The importance of evaluating older patients for loneliness and social isolation and recommendations for resources that could make a significant difference in their overall health and well-being
• How to explain advance planning along with information and resources to help prepare advance directives

By taking the time to understand what geriatric patients struggle with—physically, psychologically, socially, and cognitively—you can make a real impact on their health and wellbeing. Get started with this CE so you can begin sharing tools with your senior patients to help them enjoy a healthy and productive life, regardless of the challenges of aging.

If you’re NHA certified, you can access this article and receive CE credits by logging into your NHA account.