5-11-10

Older American’s Month

Senior citizens can lead independent and active lives for a number of years -- the key is developing a healthy lifestyle, including some preventative measures.

Living a healthy lifestyle helps protect against the deterioration that is often associated with aging.  Dr. Don Scott, associate professor of family and community medicine at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, offers suggestions for seniors.

SOUND BITE:  “I think staying physically active, socially active and mentally active is the most important thing an older individual can do to maintain their health.  Physical activity is important because one of the natural changes of aging is a progressive loss of muscle especially once people get beyond the age of 65 to 70.” 

Dr. Scott says seniors should get regular screenings for diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol as well as colon cancer screening.  For women, the recommended screenings include mammography and cervical cancer and osteoporosis screenings.  For men, prostate screening is recommended.

Scott says seniors need a healthy, balanced diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and fiber and includes six to eight glasses of fluid each day.  Also, they should pay extra attention to dietary restrictions for specific health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.  He recommends regular exercise such as walking and weight training to improve flexibility, muscle and bone strength, and balance. 

SOUND BITE:  “. . . doing both aerobic and the resistive exercise, again which is the using of weights, can help in a number of ways.  The first is cardiovascular, . And both through the direct effect of exercise and then of course through weight loss, you can help with hypertension, coronary artery disease and some even in the prevention of stroke.” 

Dr. Scott says many exercises can be done in the home.  For more information on healthy aging, ask your primary care physician or visit the Web site of the American Geriatric Society at www.ags.org.

This is Ruth Slottag at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.