Healthy Aging What is Normal

1
Healthy AgingWhat is Normal?

• Suzanne R. Kunkel
• Kathryn B. McGrew
• Scripps Gerontology Center
• Miami University
• Oxford, Ohio

2
What well cover

• Physical, psychological, social, and spiritual
  dimensions of healthy aging
• Defining normal aging when are declines to
  disease, and not age alone?
• When and how does the difference matter?
• The good news about aging
• Importance of professional, family, and community
  care and support.

3
Holistic Healthy Aging

• Physical
• Cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, lung capacity,
  metabolism, senses, cognitive, surface aging
• Psychological
• Emotional, cognitive
• Social
• Engagement in family and community life
• Spiritual

4
Holistic Health Aging
Source National Institutes of Health, PubMed
Central http//www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlere
nder.fcgi?artid1661594rendertypefigureidF1
5
Age as a risk factor, not a cause.

• Aging changes
• Disease
• Trauma, external conditions and events
• Treatment effects (e.g. medications)
• A combination

6
Normal aging?

• Hard to separate age-related changes from
  disease-related changes
• A fuzzy line
• Declines may be due to
• Age
• Disease
• Trauma, including accumulation of trauma
• Treatment effects (e.g. medications)
• A combination
• Hearing as an example

7
Examples of declines we think are, at least in
part, normal aging

• Gray hair
• Loss of skin elasticity, e.g. wrinkles (affects
  other organs as well)
• Reduced lung and heart capacity
• Reduced bone density
• Hearing declines
• Vision declines
• Some cognitive changes, e.g. learning speed

8
Age vs. disease Does the difference matter?

• Changes matter.
• when they interfere with daily activities
• when they interfere with social roles
• when they interfere with quality of life and
  general well-being
• .whether they are normal aging or not
• Examples?

9
Good news about aging.

• Increases in life expectancy
• Increases in healthy life expectancy?

Source Geriatric Times November/December 2001
Vol. II Issue 6
10
Since 1973.

• Deaths due to accidental injuries declined by 60
• Maternal deaths declined by 64
• Infant deaths declined by 66
• Tuberculosis declined over 80
• An Indian child born today has a life expectancy
  of 75 years, due mainly to reduction in these
  rates

Source Dr. Charles W. Grim, D.D.S., M.H.S.A.,
Assistant Surgeon General Director, Indian Health
Service, August 1, 2006 http//www.ihs.gov/PublicI
nfo/PublicAffairs/Director/2006_Statements/CHR_tex
t.pdf
11
Concerns remain, for exampleDiabetes
12
Elders can modify both normal changes and
disease

• Building strength through exercise, conditioning,
  and diet
• Eliminating complicating risk factors
• Substance abuse
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Examples?

13
Some diseases can be prevented.

• Vaccinations
• Health screenings
• Diet
• Non smoking
• Moderate alcohol use
• Exercise
• Falls/accident prevention
• Sanitation
• Environmental health
• Examples?

14
Most diseases can be treated.

• Medications
• Diet and exercise regimens
• Surgeries
• Traditional medicine
• Examples?

15
Chronic diseases can be managed.

• Managing treatment and lifestyle
• Chronic disease self-management
• Disease management education and intervention
  programs
• Examples?

16
Elders can adapt to both normal changes and
disease

• Changing expectations
• Adjusting daily activities
• Using assistive devices
• Self care
• Relying on family care and assistance
• Relying on services
• Examples?

17
Whether normal aging or disease, care and
supportare important.

• Family the backbone of elder care
• Community the backup of elder care includes
  elder services
• Professional trained care and support
• Examples?

18
Thank you.
Suzanne Kunkel kunkels_at_muohio.edu
513-529-2914 Kathryn McGrew mcgrewkb_at_muohio.edu
513-529-3880