Im a geriatrician 5 ways I can tell which families will navigate aging better
As people live longer and birth rates decline, the US population is aging rapidly.Ten percent of all US adults say they are a caregiver for a parent age 65 or older, with older adults projected to account for nearly 23% of Americans by 2050.Confronting the realities of aging parents and loved ones can be challenging, but experts say the sooner families start preparing, the better.
According to Dr.Anita Chandra, a geriatric specialist who provides medical care for patients aged 65 and older, families who seem to navigate aging most smoothly aren’t always the healthiest or the wealthiest.
“More often, they’re the ones who started preparing before they had to,” she wrote on Instagram.While preparation may not prevent illness, it does make the hardest moments a little less overwhelming, she explained.Here are six ways to begin laying the groundwork for a smoother aging journey.
Maintaining functionality in old age means preserving the physical and mental abilities needed to live independently, stay mobile and enjoy a high quality of life.Can your loved one still do the things that matter to them? According to the World Health Organization, this includes their ability to:“Function predicts independence better than age alone,” said Dr.
Chandra.Prepared families “notice changes in function instead of assuming everything is ‘just old age.'”It’s not just paperwork: Dr.
Chandra advises families to talk about practical tasks and topics like driving and living alone.More than 16 million Americans aged 65 and older (nearly 1 in 3) are living alone — a historic number compared to 1950, when it was just 1 in 10.Aging in place requires careful consideration and planning, accounting for physical safety, health, nutrition, social connection and well-being.There are also the matters of the soul and spirit, like discussing what makes life worth living and what kind of help feels acceptable.“These conversations are easier before there’s a crisis,” said ...