Several Conditions Can Tarnish Your Golden Years

The golden years aren’t what they used to be — they’re getting better, thanks to advances in medicine and nutrition. Because of this headway, the United States is experiencing an unprecedented increase in its senior population. By 2030, 1 in every 5 Americans will be age 65 or older. It’s more important than ever to keep your bones, belly, and brain in tip-top shape. Your first step? Know which common conditions — and symptoms — to watch for, so you can take steps to prevent or treat them.

Healthy bones are critical to senior health. As you age, your body begins to absorb old bone tissue faster than new bone tissue can be created, and your bones tend to become thinner and weaker. This leads to a condition known as osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become very fragile and can easily break during a fall or even when you're making everyday movements. The condition in and of itself has no symptoms, so ask your doctor to schedule you for a bone density test, called a DEXA scan, to check the health of your bones.

The age-related vision problem called macular degeneration is a serious threat to sight. In people with this condition, the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail, the macula, begins to break down over time. With macular degeneration, central vision becomes blurry, and you might have trouble reading or recognizing faces. People age 75 or older have a 30 percent risk of developing macular degeneration, so be sure to schedule regular eye check-ups to look for any signs of vision trouble.

Glaucoma also affects vision. Most types of glaucoma involve an increase in the fluid pressure inside the eye, which can gradually damage the optic nerve that connects the retina to the brain. There are no symptoms at first, but a person with glaucoma can gradually lose peripheral vision and eventually even direct vision may be affected.

Arthritis is a common condition that occurs when the fluid and cartilage in a joint wears out, causing bones to scrape against each other and create pain. The most common form of arthritis affecting senior health is osteoarthritis, which results from a lifetime of wear and tear on the joints. There are many treatments for arthritis, so don't hesitate to consult your doctor for help if you're having joint pain.