Literature Review:  Preventive Medicine and Healthy Living for Senior Citizens

Literature Review:  Preventive Medicine and Healthy Living for Senior Citizens

            Previous studies exhibit that preventive medicine and health lifestyle go hand in hand. According to research, preventive medicine can be regular testing, vaccination or immunization or even the advice of a doctor. Most researchers have shown that preventive medicine aids senior citizens in preventing the occurrence of some diseases and also the management of their health (Tricoli et al. 2017). According to Latimer and Mott (2015), regular tests, measurement of body weight and blood pressure, advice on diets, immunization of adults and children promotes a healthy living lifestyle. Regular Family physicians should consider these preventive services as a proper approach to healthy living for old aged people. Most studies explain that family physicians must control the eating preferences of the old aged citizen to prolong their life expectancy (Vadaparampil et al., 2014). Similarly, research concludes that preventive care for patients should be based on the ages. Research has found significant evidence that preventive medicine and health living for senior citizens are mandatory for developed and developing countries.

Preventive medicine

Preventive medicine can is categorized into two; clinical and non- clinical medicine. Clinical preventive medicine involves physicians physically examining the patients, and they can do screening, administer immunizations, and counsel patients on poor health habits (Latimer and Mott, 2015). Non- clinical preventive medicine does not involve primary care physicians closely working with patients. This category requires epidemiology, health policies, and focus on behavioral things that influence the health of the aged. However, research shows that the work of physicians involves both the clinical and non-clinical part of preventive medicine (Latimer and Mott, 2015). Most researchers argue that before recommending the preventive medicine for adults the following factors must be put into consideration; monthly incomes, functional status, health-seeking behavior, tests carried out on specific individuals, age, life expectancy and the number of the family member (Chihuri et al., 2016). Putting life expectancy into consideration helps physicians to determine the testing procedures and treatment plans for the elderly. Most studies establish that old aged people with a limited life expectancy become a challenge in the process of disseminating primary care.

Estimation of life expectancy faces a challenge since the information on the estimates might not be precise. Even though it is difficult to establish the life expectancy of a person, the forecast is useful in day to day decision making. Also, the function ability status of older people solely guides doctors on the type of preventive medicines they should prescribe on them. From research reviews, patients with a functional functionality status are less vulnerable to old aged diseases compared to their counterparts with less functionality status (Spoel et al., 2014). Also, people with low monthly incomes should be subjected to low costing preventive measures that they can afford to avoid health care disparities in the world. Preventive medicine is categorized into three sections; screening for health problems that are not causing symptoms noticeable to the patient, which involves screening for some conditions like cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes that mostly do not show signs (Vadaparampil et al., 2014).

The government offers of vaccines or some medicines to prevent future illness and most of these vaccines for free to promote the care of the old aged people. Also, the examination of some common problems that are not generally considered in the daily medical routine, for example, probing from patients about depression signs, stress or even abuse of hard drugs such as bhang, should be regularly done (Siu et al., 2016). Most of the adults should also be counseled on the importance of proper diets, avoiding drug abuse, and exercising. Studies suggest that the consideration of the categories, as mentioned earlier, results in better health care and health living for senior citizens.

Most studies recommend the following preventive services that physicians should offer to the elderly, just to mention a few of the services; Influenza vaccine, diabetes screening, cholesterol screening, and cancer. Studies have shown that most of the people aged 65 and above suffer from and die of influenza. Therefore older people should immunize against the disease for healthy living (Vadaparampil et al., 2014). Similarly, breast cancer screening is regularly done to assess the status of older adults. Studies have shown that more than half of the breast cancer cases are among people aged 65 and above (Latimer and Mott, 2015). It is recommended by most healthcare institutions that women aged 50 years should undergo cancer testing. Also, risk factors might necessitate doctors to perform cancer screening. Besides, the elderly are subjected to regular diabetes screening. It is one of the most medical conditions that many of the adults suffer from. Also, older people should be submitted to routine cholesterol screening, and this will help them to control associated cholesterol diseases (Tricoli et al., 2017). Previous studies indicate that heart diseases and strokes that occur in old adults are cholesterol associated. Besides these essential tests, the older adults should consult family physicians on other tests that they may need for better preventive care.

Researchers reveal that prevalence of most illness progress with an increase in age. Preventive medicine aims to prevent the incidence of illness in old aged people or even prevent the occurrence of some conditions. The main goal of better care for the adult is to enhance the mental, physical, and social activities of the aged people. The United States of America preventive Service Taskforce (USPSTF) provides numerous recommendations to aid family physicians in providing primary care for the elderly (Siu et al., 2016). Most physicians follow the advice provided by the United States of America Preventive Service task force on sound preventive services that are based on the family history, age, and medical history of older people. Besides, the strategies laid down on preventive care must be able to accommodate all the cultural practices of the people within a country for them to be effective.

Healthy Living

Study reviews have shown that health living among senior citizens helps in preventing diseases that are associated with older people. Most of the common ailments related to poor health living include; heart diseases, hypertension, dementia diabetes, and some other chronic conditions (Chihuri et al. 2016). Researchers have done several studies to establish several methods of maintaining a healthy living for older adults. One of the ways is checking on eating habits; eating habits contribute a lot to the health of an individual. Good eating habits lead to better healthy living in young and old aged people.

Research has shown that most of the conditions associated with old aged people are contributed by poor eating habits (Taylor, 2014). Therefore it is deemed necessary that older people must check on what they eat. Researchers suggest that they should eat food with fewer fats to avoid heart diseases and other chronic diseases that result from excess fats (Laska et al., 2015). Also, old aged people should regularly visit family physicians for physical examination. The physical examination involves the measure of body mass index, height, and weight, or even the doctor will advise them on the medicines they are taking and talk to them about the eating habits. Researchers suggest that the visits for physical examination are away for a better healthy living.

According to most of the researchers’ regular screening is very significant for a healthy living since prevention is better than cure. Almost all the studies agree that all adults should always undergo all the possible healthcare checkups. Therefore it helps in ensuring that most of the senior citizens can detect minor or major health issues early by they worsen (Latimer and Mott 2015). It is recommendable for senior-most citizens to be subjects to medical tests every six months or yearly. Similarly, senior citizens should regularly be under medical management for a healthy living. Family physicians should usually advise old aged people to seek medical attention for better health living standards. Also, older people should find medication once they show some symptoms like loss of appetite, drowsiness, headaches, allergic reactions, and other symptoms that are associated with old age medical conditions (Chihuri et al., 2016). Medical management is crucial for the healthy living of individuals. Also, studies have recommended that most of the older people should have enough rest and sleep. Enough rest and sleep help the body of an individual to rejuvenate and rebuild. Similarly, sleeping and resting should be encouraged among the ages as it is necessary.

Another important aspect for better health living in old age, as many researchers have revealed, is to avoid neglecting mental health. Older people are vulnerable to psychological or mental health. Old aged people face many changes in their daily lives that are challenging, which may induce mental health to them, and thus it necessary for them to take care of their mental health (McGlynn et al., 2017). Psychological or mental health among older age people can be avoided by them engaging in their various favorite activities such as going outs with their family members, visiting friends, and spending most of their time with family members. Researcher shows proper management of psychological or mental health leads to a better health living since the older adults can avoid health conditions such as hypertension (Siu et al. 2016). Similarly, studies reveal that most of the adults face the problem of vision changes, thus advisable for them to visit eye clinics for eye checkups to ensure their vision is in a stable condition. The eye checkups should be done at least twice a year. Right eye vision provides better health living as individuals can manage some things on their own instead of depending on others.

Studies suggest that older people with 65 years above should go osteoporosis screening. Old aged people have a higher risk of suffering from osteoporosis in their lifetime. The osteoporosis test is known as the bone mass test, and regular checks will help senior citizens to be able to manage their health (Jeremiah et al. 2015). Also, senior citizens should regularly visit primary care physicians for high blood pressure screening. Most of the older people are subjected to a lot of stress in their daily life that may eventually lead to the development of hypertension. Therefore to ensure better healthy living for them, they should visit doctors for regular checkups. Similarly, several studies have established that 60% of new colorectal cancer cases recorded are adults above 70 years of age. The American Academy of Family of Physicians suggests that colorectal cancer screening with fecal immunochemical tests should be commenced at the age of 50 years until the age of 70 (Latimer and Mott, 2015). For better testing, doctors should consider benefits, risks, and the evidence that supports coming up with a sound choice.

Similar studies indicate that socializing among the old aged people helps in making them avoid being lonely. Studies recommend that senior citizens should interact with others as much as possible because it can prevent mental health. Similarly, some researchers have noted that regular exercises among senior citizens help them to maintain their body shape, remove excess salts and water (Taylor, 2014). Also, exercises help them in making their bones strong, and it protects them from being vulnerable to some diseases. Therefore senior citizens should consider running or walking and doing other forms of exercise to their body healthy for better living. Besides, senior citizens should take advantage of free medical checkups held by medical doctors in different parts of the nation. The free checkups will help in the early detection of some diseases and thus seek initial medical management for them (Han et al., 2015). Also, senior citizens should regularly visit dentists to be attended to teeth related issues. Senior citizens should visit dentists every six months for checkups (Silva et al., 2014). Studies show that most of the mouth problems are associated with diseases such as diabetes, stroke, and heart diseases.

Benefits of Preventive Medicine and Healthy Living among Senior Citizens

Several studies have proved that preventive medicine and healthy living has got many benefits to the aging population. Also, the impact of preventive medicine for aged people is excellent. The increased focus on older people has resulted in making geriatrics a subject of specialization since the conditions associated with old age have salvaged prominence (Tricoli et al., 2017). The specialty has resulted in more research on the diseases affecting senior citizens to find ways of preventing them.

Similarly, several pieces of research have concluded that most healthcare systems are acknowledging the value of preventing and treatment of diseases in the aging population that was viewed as a burden (Han et al., 2015). Also, preventive medicine helps older people to stay healthier and get more effective treatments. Besides, when older people begin treatments early or change their way of life, it helps them to live healthier and respond to treatment speedy (LeFevre, 2014). Many studies reveal that healthy living among older adults helps in reducing their medical expenses. Preventive medicine helps them to detect some conditions early, thus reducing the cost of management. Also, the Affordable Care Act that covers American preventive services helps in reducing medical expenses.

Reviews on previews research indicate that preventive medicine and health living among senior citizens helps in saving the lives of people and improves the quality of health or even increases life expectancy for the aging population. The quality of health is improved by proper medication management and taking a proper diet. A portion of good food helps in preventing diseases such as high blood pressure, strokes, and loss of memory, visual problems, and many more conditions that are impacted by diet (Laska et al., 2015). According to the same authors, the regular physical exercises associated with better health living help in improving the quality of life of the old aged people. Additionally, health living among senior citizens helps them to perform their typical day to activities without facing any challenge.

Previous studies show that healthy living among the aging population helps reduce the number of adults suffering from psychological or mental health (Chihuri et al., 2016). Therefore the senior citizens can be able to make sound decisions independently. Similarly, the continuous vaccination of the elderly helps them to be immune against some old aged conditions. Additionally, healthy living helps the aged people to socialize with others, and this will help to avoid being lonely, get new ideas, and develop a good relationship with others. The social network is also significant to the elderly since it helps them to engage in leisure activities with relatives.

Studies show that it is very vital when the aging population has their health since they can be independent in their daily life, and also they do not experience pain related to diseases (Chihuri et al., 2016). Health living to the elderly helps to have positive feelings about life compared to poor health living that induces the old aged people with negative emotions associated with their age. Positive attitudes help prolong the life of the elderly has it gives them a sense of living longer. Researchers reveal that the creation of awareness and autonomy is one of the core benefits of preventive medicine and health residing for senior citizens (Chihuri et al., 2016). The nature of recognition and autonomy encourages early screening and improves the health-seeking behaviors of the elderly in seeking health.

References

Chihuri, S., Mielenz, T. J., DiMaggio, C. J., Betz, M. E., DiGuiseppi, C., Jones, V. C., & Li, G. (2016). Driving cessation and health outcomes in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 64(2), 332-341. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jgs.13931

Gell, N. M., Wallace, R. B., Lacroix, A. Z., Mroz, T. M., & Patel, K. V. (2015). Mobility device use in older adults and incidence of falls and worry about falling: Findings from the 2011–2012 national health and aging trends study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 63(5), 853-859. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jgs.13393

Han, X., Yabroff, K. R., Guy Jr, G. P., Zheng, Z., & Jemal, A. (2015). Has recommended preventive service use increased after elimination of cost-sharing as part of the Affordable Care Act in the United States?. Preventive medicine, 78, 85-91. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743515002285.

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Jeremiah, M. P., Unwin, B. K., Greenawald, M. H., & Casiano, V. E. (2015). Diagnosis and management of osteoporosis. American family physician, 92(4), 261-268.

Laska, M. N., Hearst, M. O., Lust, K., Lytle, L. A., & Story, M. (2015). How we eat what we eat: identifying meal routines and practices most strongly associated with healthy and unhealthy dietary factors among young adults. Public health nutrition, 18(12), 2135-2145. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/how-we-eat-what-we-eat-identifying-meal-routines-and-practices-most-strongly-associated-with-healthy-and-unhealthy-dietary-factors-among-young-adults/F0B19C5A906202A24B2C7A3681A20B25

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