Are you aging well? 7 signs that doctors look for in elderly people

There is aging – and there is good aging.

Healthy aging is about more than just eating right and exercising, according to Dr. Parul Goyal, a geriatrician at Vanderbilt Health in Nashville.

“Good aging, in my opinion, consists of three different components,” Goyal told HuffPost.

These components are physical well-being, emotional connection, and mental support.

When all of these elements are present, the result is a healthy, happy, and rewarding life. The following seven factors are an indicator that you are taking all the right steps.

Keep learning new things

Since older adults are usually away from school and work, there may be fewer opportunities to learn new things, so it’s important to look for opportunities to stay engaged and continue learning.

Goyal said she spends time with her patients “making sure they are staying mentally strong, that they are using their brain, and that they are engaging in exercises to stimulate their brain, which means they are learning a new skill.”

She encourages her patients to practice new skills, whether it is a board game, a sport or other physical activity, a new language or a musical instrument.

“This will help form new pathways in the brain so that they can continue to remain cognitively strong,” Goyal said.

There is data to support this: a recent study published in The JAMA Network is open I looked at a range of activities that stimulate the brain.

The research revealed that people who regularly engaged in activities such as using a computer, taking classes or keeping a diary were up to 11% less likely to develop dementia.

Talk about your needs

No one wants to be a burden, but suffering in silence is counterproductive and can lead to physical and mental health problems, so experts advise people to speak up.

“People often don’t age well because they don’t clearly communicate their needs,” said Robin Golden of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “How do we make it okay for people to say, ‘This is what I need, I feel lonely, I need someone to go out with on Tuesday night?’”

If someone is suffering from depression or anxiety, they should tell their doctor. There may be an assumption that anxiety or depression in old age is normal, but Golden said this is not true.

“Depression can be treated at any age, not just with medications, or through counseling, or through group interventions, you name it. So, I think that’s part of the way you age well, is being open,” Golden said. Being able to say: “This is who I am, and this is what I need.”

Engage with the community

In May 2023, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared loneliness a serious health problem, saying: “Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation has been an underappreciated public health crisis that has harmed individual and societal health.”

The problem has become worse since the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools, churches and businesses:

“With the COVID pandemic, this has become really important. “There was a lot of social isolation among our elderly patients because they were confined to their homes,” Goyal said.

Socializing helps your cognitive health, too, says Dr. Lee Lindquist, chairman of the department of geriatrics at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.

“We think of the brain as a muscle, so if you sit in a room with four walls all day and don’t talk to anyone… your brain will turn to sludge because it’s not getting any stimulation,” Lindquist said.

A recent study published in the journal Nature Aging found that increased social engagement in middle and late life is associated with a 30 to 50% lower risk of dementia.

Socializing with people face-to-face or over the phone, joining a book club, playing team sports and volunteering are good ways to exercise your brain and make it stronger.

Stay physically healthy

The basics still apply, even in old age, so exercise and a healthy diet are as important as ever.

“I want people to keep moving and exercising. If you haven’t moved in a long time, or you’ve been sitting for a long time, sometimes it’s helpful to ask your doctors to order physical therapy to help with your gait and balance,” Lindquist said.

Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, which is aligned with a combination of the Mediterranean diet and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), is a great way to nourish an older body, according to Goyal.

Do what you enjoy

Your later years, even if you have an illness or injury, don’t mean you can’t do what you love to do, whether that’s traveling, learning new recipes, hiking, or playing games with your friends.

“I like people who are active and enjoy life, and do it in a way that brings them joy,” Lindquist said.

“For my part, people have chronic diseases throughout their lives, but it’s all about managing their care and doing the best they can,” she added.

Review your medications

“A lot of times, we end up taking too much medication for what we really need,” Lindquist said, noting that a medication you were prescribed in your 50s may not be the best option for you today.

“Your body is always changing, and it may not need (certain) medications.”

There can also be issues with “polypharmacy,” or taking multiple prescription medications and over-the-counter medications and supplements.

These elements can often interact with each other, causing additional problems.

A 2022 report from the University of California, San Francisco, found that about 58% of older adults with possible or possible dementia were in good to excellent health, yet more than half took six or more medications — a habit that can lead to drug interactions. Harmful. And bad results.

“So, it’s essential that you talk to your doctor (or) geriatrician… and specifically look at medications that are unnecessary or could be dangerous as you get older,” Lindquist noted.

We have a plan

It’s always a good idea to talk to your family and friends about what you want to happen if you are hospitalized, incapacitated, or have memory loss.

This helps your loved ones prepare in case any unplanned stressful situations occur.

“It’s not about end-of-life planning, which is like hospice, or (planning for) death in six months — it’s planning for 20 years before you need help,” Lindquist explained.

It’s a way to ensure your voice is heard as you age, and those around you don’t have to make important decisions for you.

And if you need planning advice on how to talk to people about these potentially stressful conversations, Lindquist and her colleagues created Your Life Plan, a free resource for older adults backed by research, studies, and funding from the National Institutes of Health.