Healthy Aging
This category offers tips on how to
stay healthy, get good health care, and manage lifestyle changes as you age.- Balance Problems
- Caring for Someone with Alzheimer's
- Creating a Family Health History
- Eating Safely
- Eating Well As You Get Older
- Exercise: Benefits of Exercise
- Exercise: Exercises to Try
- Exercise: How to Get Started
- Exercise: How to Stay Active
- Falls and Older Adults
- Long-Term Care
- Medicare Basics
- Problems with Smell
- Problems with Taste
- Sleep and Aging
- Taking Medicines
- Talking with Your Doctor
These Age Pages from the National Institute on Aging
also provide information and resources about Healthy Aging.
- A Good Night's Sleep
- Alcohol Use and Abuse
- Beware of Health Scams
- Choosing a Doctor
- Concerned About Constipation?
- Crime and Older People
- Exercise and Physical Activity: Getting Fit for Life
- Falls and Fractures
- Foot Care
- Getting Your Affairs in Order
- Healthy Eating after 50
- HIV, AIDS, and Older People
- Hospital Hints
- Hyperthermia: Too Hot for Your Health
- Hypothermia: A Cold Weather Hazard
- Medicines: Use Them Safely
- Menopause
- Mourning the Death of a Spouse
- Nursing Homes: Making the Right Choice
- Older Drivers
- Online Health Information: Can You Trust It?
- Sexuality in Later Life
- Shots for Safety
- Skin Care and Aging
- Smoking: It's Never Too Late to Stop
- Taking Care of Your Teeth and Mouth
Balance Problems
About Balance Problems
As people grow older, they may have difficulty with their balance. Nearly 8 million American adults report having a chronic problem with balance. An additional 2.4 million American adults report having a chronic problem with dizziness alone.Why Good Balance is Important
Having good balance means being able to control and maintain your body's position, whether you are moving or remaining still. An intact sense of balance helps you- walk without staggering
- get up from a chair without falling
- climb stairs without tripping
Many people experience problems with their sense of balance as they get older. Disturbances of the inner ear are the main cause. People feel unsteady, or as if they were moving, spinning, or floating.
Older Adults and Balance Problems 
Video length: 4 min 5 sec
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Video length: 4 min 5 sec
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When People Have Problems with Balance
Vertigo, the feeling that you or the things around you are spinning, is also a common symptom.Balance disorders are one reason older people fall. Falls and fall-related injuries, such as hip fracture, can have a serious impact on an older person's life. If you fall, it could limit your activities or make it impossible to live independently. Many people often become more isolated after a fall.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults ages 65 years and older fall each year. Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths.
BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
There are many types of balance disorders. One of the most common is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV. With BPPV, you experience a brief, intense feeling of vertigo that occurs when you change the position of your head.You may also experience BPPV when rolling over to the left or right, upon getting out of bed in the morning, or when looking up for an object on a high or low shelf. BPPV is more likely to occur in adults ages 60 and older, but can also occur in younger people.
In BPPV, small calcium stones in the inner ear become displaced, causing a person to feel dizzy. The reason they become displaced is not known, although it may be caused by an inner ear infection, head injury, or aging.
Labyrinthitis
Another type of balance disorder is labyrinthitis. This is an infection or inflammation of the inner ear causing dizziness and loss of balance. The labyrinth is the organ in your inner ear that helps you maintain your balance.
Ménière's Disease
Ménière's disease is a balance disorder that causes a person to experience- vertigo
- hearing loss that comes and goes
- tinnitus, which is a ringing or roaring in the ears
- a feeling of fullness in the ear.
There are many ways to treat balance disorders. Treatments will vary depending on the cause. See your doctor if you are experiencing dizziness, vertigo, or other problems with your balance
Caring for Someone with Alzheimer's
Daily Activities
Caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease at home is a difficult task. Alzheimer's symptoms grow worse over time, and there is no way to predict how quickly the disease will progress or exactly how behavior will change. Managing the basic activities of daily living -- eating, talking, sleeping, finding things to do -- can be hard for both the person with Alzheimer's and the caregiver, especially as the disease becomes more severe. Here are some tips that may help you cope.What to do all day? Finding activities that the person with Alzheimer's can do and is interested in can be a challenge. Building on existing skills generally works better than trying to teach something new.
Don't expect too much. Simple activities often are best, especially when they use current abilities.
Help the person get started on an activity. Break the activity down into small steps and praise the person for each step he or she completes.
Activities for Someone with
Alzheimer's 
Video length: 1 min 14 sec
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Watch for signs of agitation or frustration with an activity. Gently help, or
distract the person to something else. Video length: 1 min 14 sec
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Incorporate activities the person seems to enjoy into your daily routine and try to do them at a similar time each day.
Take advantage of adult day services, which provide various activities for the person with Alzheimer's as well as an opportunity for caregivers to gain temporary relief from tasks associated with caregiving. Transportation and meals often are provided.
Trying to communicate with a person who has Alzheimer's can be a challenge. Both understanding and being understood may be difficult.
Choose simple words and short sentences and use a gentle, calm tone of voice.
Making a Memory Book 
Video length: 3 min 37 sec
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Avoid talking to the person like a baby or talking as if he or she weren't
there. Minimize distractions and noise, such as the television or radio, to help
the person focus on what you are saying. Video length: 3 min 37 sec
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Tips on Communicating 
Video length: 1 min 1 sec
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Call the person by name, making sure you have his or her attention before
speaking. Allow enough time for a response. Be careful not to interrupt. Video length: 1 min 1 sec
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If the person with Alzheimer's is struggling to find a word or communicate a thought, gently try to provide the word he or she is looking for.
Try to frame questions and instructions in a positive way.
Eating can be a challenge. Some people with Alzheimer's want to eat all the time, while others have to be encouraged to maintain a good diet. Ensure a quiet, calm atmosphere for eating. Limiting noise and other distractions may help the person focus on the meal.
Simplifying Mealtimes
Video length: 1 min 1 sec
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Provide a limited number of choices of food and serve small portions. You may
want to offer several small meals throughout the day in place of three larger
ones. Video length: 1 min 1 sec
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Use straws or cups with lids to make drinking easier. Substitute finger foods if the person struggles with using utensils. Using a bowl instead of a plate also may help.
Have healthy snacks on hand. To encourage eating, keep the snacks where they can be seen.
Visit the dentist regularly to keep mouth and teeth healthy.
For the exhausted caregiver, sleep can't come too soon. For many people with AD, however, the approach of nighttime may be a difficult time. Many people with AD become restless, agitated, and irritable around dinnertime, often referred to as "sundowning" syndrome. Getting the person to go to bed and stay there may require some advance planning.
Encourage exercise during the day and limit daytime napping, but make sure that the person gets adequate rest during the day because fatigue can increase the likelihood of late afternoon restlessness.
Try to schedule more physically demanding activities earlier in the day. For example, bathing could be earlier in the morning, or large family meals could be at midday.
Set a quiet, peaceful tone in the evening to encourage sleep. Keep the lights dim, eliminate loud noises, even play soothing music if the person seems to enjoy it.
Try to keep bedtime at a similar time each evening. Developing a bedtime routine may help.
Restrict access to caffeine late in the day.
Use night lights in the bedroom, hall, and bathroom if the darkness is frightening or disorienting
Why Create a Family Health History?
A Family Tree for Health
A family health history is a written record of a family's health. The history contains information about a family's medical conditions, lifestyle habits (for example, whether anyone in the family has smoked), and where and how family members grew up. It's like a family tree for health.
What a Family Health History May Reveal
You can use a family health history to see if you, your children, or your grandchildren might face an increased risk of developing serious health problems. These health problems might be common ones, such as heart disease, cancer, or diabetes. They could also be less common diseases that are passed from one generation to the next, such as hemophilia or sickle cell anemia.Many diseases result from a combination of a person's genes, lifestyle, and environment. People can't change the genes they inherit from their parents. But they can change things like diet, physical activity, and medical care to try to prevent diseases that run in the family.
A health care professional can use a family health history to help assess a person's risk of certain diseases. The professional might recommend actions to lower the chance of getting those diseases.
Actions to reduce the risk of disease may involve
- lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier foods or exercising more
- getting certain medical tests
- taking new medicines.
How You and Your Family May Benefit
For older adults, a family health history might help explain why you have developed certain health conditions. But it is important to know that simply getting older increases the risk of many diseases, too.Creating and sharing your family health history with your health care professional can help you be healthier. But perhaps the biggest benefit is providing information that may help your children and grandchildren live longer, healthier lives.
Eating Safely
Avoid Foodborne Illness
Food safety is a vital part of staying well. Each year, about 76 million people in the United States become ill from eating contaminated foods. Of those, about 5,000 die. These illnesses may come from eating foods contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Illnesses you get from contaminated food are called foodborne illnesses, also known as food poisoning.Foodborne illness can affect anyone, but older adults are at increased risk. As we age, our bodies produce less stomach acid, making it harder to get rid of harmful bacteria that enter our digestive system. Our digestion may slow down, allowing harmful bacteria to stay in our bodies longer. Also, changes in smell and taste can keep us from knowing when food is spoiled.
Foodborne illnesses can cause serious health problems for older adults. An older person who gets a foodborne illness is likely to be sicker longer, and if hospitalized, is likely to have a longer hospital stay.
There are many reasons why foodborne illnesses affect us today. People are eating more meals outside the home and consuming more food that is prepared by others. Much of the food we consume is delivered over longer distances. Also, harmful bacteria that are more resistant to drugs are finding their way onto foods.
Foodborne illnesses can be dangerous. Many are caused by bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella, which can cause serious health problems. But if you follow good food safety practices, you can reduce your risk of getting sick from these and other harmful bacteria.
It can be difficult to know when harmful bacteria in food have made you sick. After all, you can't see, smell, or taste the bacteria the food may contain. If you get a foodborne illness, you might have upset stomach, abdominal pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. Or, you could have flu-like symptoms with a fever and headache, and body aches. Sometimes people confuse foodborne illness with other types of illness.
Many times people think their foodborne illness was caused by their last meal, but that may not be true. The time between eating the contaminated food and the onset of illness can vary widely. Usually, foodborne bacteria take 1 to 3 days to cause illness. But you could become sick anytime from 30 minutes to 3 weeks after eating some foods with dangerous bacteria. Whether you actually get sick or not depends on a variety of factors, including the type of bacteria in the food.
If you think you have a foodborne illness, you should take these steps.
- Contact your doctor or health care provider. Seek medical treatment as necessary.
- Preserve the food in question. Wrap it securely, label it "Danger", and freeze it. The food may be used to diagnose your illness and prevent others from getting sick.
- Save all packaging materials, such as cans or cartons. Write down the food, the date and time consumed, and save any identical unopened products. Report the contaminated food to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854.
- Call your local health department if you think you became ill from food you ate at a local restaurant or other eating establishment so they can investigate.
Eating Well As You Get Older
Benefits of Eating Well
Eating well is vital for everyone at all ages. Whatever your age, your daily food choices can make an important difference in your health and in how you look and feel.
Eating for Health 
Video length: 5 min 2 sec
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Eating a well-planned, balanced mix of foods every day has many health
benefits. For instance, eating well may reduce the risk of heart disease,
stroke, type 2 diabetes, bone loss, some kinds of cancer, and anemia. If you
already have one or more of these chronic diseases, eating well and being
physically active may help you better manage them. Healthy eating may also help
you reduce high blood pressure, lower high cholesterol, and manage diabetes.
Video length: 5 min 2 sec
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Eating well gives you the nutrients needed to keep your muscles, bones, organs, and other parts of your body healthy throughout your life. These nutrients include vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fats, and water.
Eating well helps keep up your energy level, too. By consuming enough calories -- a way to measure the energy you get from food -- you give your body the fuel it needs throughout the day. The number of calories needed depends on how old you are, whether you're a man or woman, and how active you are.
Consuming the right number of calories for your level of physical activity helps you control your weight, too. Extra weight is a concern for older adults because it can increase the risk for diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease and can increase joint problems. Eating more calories than your body needs for your activity level will lead to extra pounds.
If you become less physically active as you age, you will probably need fewer calories to stay at the same weight. Choosing mostly nutrient-dense foods -- foods which are high in nutrients but low in calories -- can give you the nutrients you need while keeping down calorie intake.
Your food choices also affect your digestion. For instance, too little fiber or fluid may cause constipation. Eating more whole-grain foods, fruits and vegetables or drinking more water may help with constipation.
Eating well isn't just a "diet" or "program" that's here today and gone tomorrow. It is part of a healthy lifestyle that you can adopt now and stay with in the years to come.
To eat healthier, you can begin by taking small steps, making one change at a time. For instance, you might buy whole-grain bread, leaner meats, or more fruits and vegetables when you shop.
These changes may be easier than you think. They're possible even if you need help with shopping or cooking, or if you have a limited budget. If you have a specific medical condition, be sure to check with your doctor or dietitian about foods you should include or avoid.
Whatever your age, you can start making positive lifestyle changes today. Eating well can help you stay healthy and independent -- and look and feel good -- in the years to come.
Exercise: Benefits of Exercise
Health Benefits
Regular physical activity and exercise are important to the physical and mental health of almost everyone, including older adults.
Playing Volleyball Helps Me Stay
Active 
Video length: 2 min 51 sec
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Regular physical activity and exercise are important to the physical and
mental health of almost everyone, including older adults. Video length: 2 min 51 sec
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Why It's Important for Older Adults to
Exercise 
Video length: 1 min 56 sec
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Staying physically active and exercising regularly can produce long-term
health benefits and even improve health for some older people who already have
diseases and disabilities. That's why health experts say that older adults
should aim to be as active as possible. Video length: 1 min 56 sec
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Why I Exercise 
Video length: 55 sec
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Although exercise and physical activity are among the healthiest things you
can do for yourself, some older adults are reluctant to exercise. Some are
afraid that exercise will be too hard or that physical activity will harm them.
Others might think they have to join a gym or have special equipment. Yet,
studies show that "taking it easy" is risky. For the most part, when older
people lose their ability to do things on their own, it doesn't happen just
because they've aged. It's usually because they're not active. Video length: 55 sec
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Are You Ever Too Old to Exercise? 
Video length: 40 sec
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According to the U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and
Health, inactive people are nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease as
those who are more active. Lack of physical activity also can lead to more
visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and more use of medicines for a
variety of illnesses. Video length: 40 sec
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Scientists have found that staying physically active and exercising regularly can help prevent or delay many diseases and disabilities. In some cases, exercise is an effective treatment for many chronic conditions. For example, studies show that people with arthritis, heart disease, or diabetes benefit from regular exercise. Exercise also helps people with high blood pressure, balance problems, or difficulty walking.
Swimming Helps Me Control My Blood
Pressure 
Video length: 1 min 18 sec
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Regular, moderate physical activity can help manage stress and improve your
mood. And, being active on a regular basis may help reduce feelings of
depression. Studies also suggest that exercise can improve or maintain some
aspects of cognitive function, such as your ability to shift quickly between
tasks, plan an activity, and ignore irrelevant information. Video length: 1 min 18 sec
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Running Helps Me Cope with Stress 
Video length: 2 min 5 sec
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Some people may wonder what the difference is between physical activity and
exercise. Physical activities are activities that get your body moving such as
gardening, walking the dog and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
Exercise is a form of physical activity that is specifically planned,
structured, and repetitive such as weight training, tai chi, or an aerobics
class. Including both in your life will provide you with health benefits that
can help you feel better and enjoy life more as you age. Video length: 2 min 5 sec
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Running Keeps Me Feeling Great 
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Exercise: Exercises to Try
Endurance Exercises
Endurance exercises are activities that increase your heart rate and breathing for an extended period of time. Examples are walking, jogging, swimming, raking, sweeping, dancing, and playing tennis. Build up your endurance gradually, starting with as little as 5 minutes of endurance activities at a time, if you need to. Then try to build up to at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity endurance activity on most or all days of the week. Doing less than 10 minutes at a time won't give you the desired heart and lung benefits.
Doing Endurance Exercises 
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Safety tips: Video length: 30 sec
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- Do a little light activity, such as easy walking, before and after your endurance activities to warm up and cool down.
- Drink liquids when doing any activity that makes you sweat.
- Dress appropriately for the heat and cold. Dress in layers if you're outdoors so you can add or remove clothes as needed.
- When you're out walking, watch out for low-hanging branches and uneven sidewalks.
- Walk during the day or in well-lit areas at night, and be aware of your surroundings.
- To prevent injuries, use safety equipment such as helmets for biking.
- Endurance activities should not make you breathe so hard that you can't talk and should not cause dizziness or chest pain.
- walking briskly on a level surface
- swimming
- dancing
- gardening, mowing, raking
- cycling on a stationary bicycle
- bicycling
- playing tennis
- playing basketball
- jogging
- climbing stairs or hills
- shoveling snow
- brisk bicycling up hills
- digging holes
When you're ready to do more, build up the amount of time you spend doing endurance activities first, then build up the difficulty of your activities. For example, gradually increase your time to 30 minutes over several days to weeks (or even months, depending on your condition) by walking longer distances. Then walk more briskly or up steeper hills.
Exercise: How to Get Started
Safety First
Most older adults, regardless of age or condition, will do just fine increasing their physical activity to a moderate level. However, if you haven't been active for a long time, it's important to start out at a low level of effort and work your way up slowly. Also, if you are at high risk for any chronic diseases such as heart disease or diabetes, or if you smoke or are obese, you should check first with your doctor before becoming more physically active.
Other reasons to check with your doctor before you exercise include
- any new, undiagnosed symptom
- chest pain
- irregular, rapid, or fluttery heart beat
- severe shortness of breath
- ongoing, significant, and undiagnosed weight loss
- infections, like pneumonia, accompanied by fever which can cause rapid heart beat and dehydration
- an acute blood clot
- a hernia that is causing symptoms such as pain and discomfort
- foot or ankle sores that won't heal
- persistent pain or problems walking after a fall -- you might have a fracture and not know it
- eye conditions such as bleeding in the retina or a detached retina. Also consult your doctor after a cataract removal or lens implant, or after laser treatment or other eye surgery.
- a weakening in the wall of the heart's major outgoing blood vessel called an abdominal aortic aneurysm
- a narrowing of one of the heart's valves called critical aortic stenosis
- joint swelling.
- check with your doctor before doing lower-body exercises.
- don't cross your legs.
- don't bend your hips farther than a 90-degree angle.
- avoid locking the joints in your legs into a strained position.
When you exercise, it is important to do it safely. Follow these tips to avoid injury.
- When starting an exercise program, begin slowly with low-intensity exercises.
- Wait at least 2 hours after eating a large meal before doing strenuous exercise.
- Wear appropriate shoes for your activity and comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that allows you to move freely but won't catch on other objects.
- Warm up with low-intensity exercises at the beginning of each exercise session.
- Drink water before, during, and after your exercise session.
- When exercising outdoors, pay attention to your surroundings -- consider possible traffic hazards, the weather, uneven walking surfaces, and strangers.
- Have pain or pressure in your chest, neck, shoulder, or arm
- Feel dizzy or sick to your stomach
- Break out in a cold sweat
- Have muscle cramps
- Feel severe pain in joints, feet, ankles, or legs
Exercise: How to Stay Active
Make Exercise a Habit
One of the best ways to stay physically active is to make it a life-long habit. Set yourself up to succeed right from the start by seeking to make exercise a regular part of your day. When it becomes a normal part of your everyday routine, like brushing your teeth, then you'll be less likely to stop and will find it easier to start up again if you're interrupted for some reason. If you can stick with an exercise routine or physical activity for at least 6 months, it's a good sign that you're on your way to making physical activity a regular habit.
Here are a few ways to help you make exercise a regular part of your daily life.
- Make it a priority.
- Make it easy.
- Make it safe.
- Make it social.
- Make it interesting and fun.
- Make it an active decision.
Many of us lead busy lives, and it's easy to put physical activity at the bottom of the "to do" list. Remember, though, being active is one of the most important things you can do each day to maintain and improve your health. Make it a point to include physical activities throughout your day. Try being active first thing in the morning before you get busy. Think of your time to exercise as a special appointment, and mark it on your calendar.
Build Exercise into Your Everyday
Life 
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Make it easy. Video length: 1 min 25 sec
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If it's difficult, costs too much, or is too inconvenient, you probably won't be active. You are more likely to exercise if it's easy to do. Put your 2-pound weights next to your easy chair so you can do some lifting while you watch TV. Walk up and down the soccer field during your grandchild's game.
Make it easy.
Do more of the activities you already like and know how to do. Walk the entire mall or every aisle of the grocery store when you go shopping. When you go out to get the mail, walk around the block. Join a gym or fitness center that's close to home. You can be active all at once, or break it up into smaller amounts throughout the day.
Make it safe.
Exercise and moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, are safe for almost all older adults. Even so, avoiding injury is an important thing to keep in mind, especially if you're just starting a new activity or you haven't been active for a long time. Talk to your doctor if you have an ongoing health condition or certain other health problems or if you haven't seen your doctor for a while. Ask how physical activity can help you, whether you should avoid certain activities, and how to modify exercises to fit your situation.
Make it safe.
You may feel some minor discomfort or muscle soreness when you start to exercise. This should go away as you get used to the activities. However, if you feel sick to your stomach or have strong pain, you've done too much. Go easier and then gradually build up.
Make it social.
Enlist a friend or family member. Many people agree that having an "exercise buddy" keeps them going. Take a yoga class with a neighbor. If you don't already have an exercise partner, find one by joining a walking club at your local mall or an exercise class at a nearby senior center. Take a walk during lunch with a co-worker.
Exercise with a Buddy 
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Make it interesting and make it fun. Video length: 30 sec
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Do things you enjoy and pick up the pace a bit. If you love the outdoors, try biking, fishing, jogging, or hiking. Listen to music or a book on CD while walking, gardening, or raking. Plan a hiking trip at a nearby park.
Exercise: Enjoyment is Key 
Video length: 1 min 35 sec
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Make it interesting and make it fun. Video length: 1 min 35 sec
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Most people tend to focus on one activity or type of exercise and think they're doing enough. The goal is to be creative and choose exercises from each of the four categories -- endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. Mixing it up will help you reap the benefits of each type of exercise, as well as reduce boredom and risk of injury.
Make exercise an active decision. Seize opportunities. Choose to be active in many places and many ways. Multi-task the active way.
- When you unload the groceries, strengthen your arms by lifting the milk carton or a 1-pound can a few times before you put it away. When you go shopping, build your endurance by parking the car at the far end of the parking lot and walking briskly to the store. Or, get off the bus one or two stops earlier than usual.
- Instead of calling or e-mailing a colleague at work, go in person -- and take the stairs.
- Take a few extra trips up and down the steps at home to strengthen your legs and build endurance.
- Try to do some of your errands on foot rather than in the car.
- While you're waiting in line, practice your balancing skills by standing on one foot for a few seconds, then the other. Gradually build up your time. While you're talking on the phone, stand up and do a few leg raises or toe stands to strengthen your legs. Take advantage of small bits of "down time" to do an exercise or two. For example, while you're waiting for the coffee to brew or for your spouse to get ready to go out, do a few wall push-ups or calf stretches.
Sleep and Aging
About Sleep
We all look forward to a good night's sleep. Sleep allows our body to rest and to restore its energy levels. Without enough restful sleep, not only can we become grumpy and irritable, but also inattentive and more prone to accidents. Like food and water, adequate sleep is essential to good health and quality of life.
Two Types of Sleep
There are two types of sleep: non-rapid eye movement -- or NREM sleep -- and rapid eye movement -- or REM sleep. NREM sleep includes four stages, ranging from light to deep sleep. Then we go into REM sleep, the most active stage of sleep when dreaming often occurs. During REM sleep, the eyes move back and forth beneath the eyelids and muscles become immobile. We cycle through the NREM-REM stages of sleep approximately every 90 minutes.
How Sleep is Regulated
Researchers believe that two body systems -- the sleep-wake process and our circadian biologic clock -- regulate our sleep. They program our bodies to feel sleepy at night and awake during the day.
The sleep-wake process works by balancing the amount of sleep a person needs based on the time spent awake. Our circadian biologic clock is a 24-hour body rhythm affected by sunlight. It regulates hormones such as melatonin, which is secreted during the night and promotes sleep, and other processes like body temperature. Sleeping at a time that is in sync with this rhythm is important for healthy sleep.
Sleep Needs, Patterns Change With Age
Sleep needs change over a person's lifetime. Children and adolescents need more sleep than adults. Interestingly, older adults need about the same amount of sleep as younger adults -- seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
Unfortunately, many older adults often get less sleep than they need. One reason is that they often have more trouble falling asleep. A study of adults over 65 found that 13 percent of men and 36 percent of women take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep.
Also, older people often sleep less deeply and wake up more often throughout the night, which may be why they may nap more often during the daytime. Nighttime sleep schedules may change with age too. Many older adults tend to get sleepier earlier in the evening and awaken earlier in the morning.
Why These Changes
There are many possible explanations for these changes. Older adults may produce and secrete less melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep. They may also be more sensitive to -- and may awaken because of -- changes in their environment, such as noise.
Older adults may also have other medical and psychiatric problems that can affect their nighttime sleep. Researchers have noted that people without major medical or psychiatric illnesses report better sleep.
Poor Sleep Can Lead to Problems
Not sleeping well can lead to a number of problems. Older adults who have poor nighttime sleep are more likely to have depressed mood, attention and memory problems, excessive daytime sleepiness, more nighttime falls, and use more over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids. Poor sleep is also associated with a poorer quality of life.
If You Have Trouble Sleeping
Many people believe that poor sleep is a normal part of aging, but it is not. In fact, many healthy older adults report few or no sleep problems. Sleep patterns change as we age, but disturbed sleep and waking up tired every day are not part of normal aging. If you are having trouble sleeping, see your doctor or a sleep specialist. There are treatments that can help
Healthy Eating After 50
"I have trouble chewing." "Food just doesn't taste the same anymore." "I
can't get out to go shopping." "It's too much trouble to cook for one person."
"I'm just not that hungry."
Sound familiar? These are a few common reasons some older people don't eat healthy meals. But, making healthy food choices is a smart thing to do—no matter how old you are!
Here are some tips to get you started:
One plan is called the USDA Food Guide (also known as MyPyramid). It suggests that people 50 or older choose healthy foods every day from the following:
Fruits—1-1/2 to 2-1/2 cups
What is the same as 1/2 cup of cut-up fruit? One medium whole fruit or 1/4 cup of dried fruit
Vegetables—2 to 3-1/2 cups
What is the same as a cup of cut-up vegetables? Two cups of uncooked leafy vegetable
Grains—5 to 10 ounces
What is the same as an ounce of grains? One roll, a small muffin, a slice of bread, 1 cup of flaked, ready-to-eat cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice, pasta, or cereal
Meat/beans—5 to 7 ounces
What is the same as an ounce of meat, fish, or poultry? One egg, 1/4 cup of cooked beans or tofu, 1/2 ounce of nuts or seeds, or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
Milk—3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk
What is the same as 1 cup of milk? One cup of yogurt or 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of cheese. One cup of cottage cheese is the same as 1/2 cup of milk.
Your doctor may have suggested that you follow a certain diet because you have a health problem like heart disease or diabetes. Or, you might have been told to avoid eating certain foods because they can change how well your medicines work. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about foods you can eat instead.
Here's a tip: Stay away from "empty calories." These are foods and drinks with a lot of calories but not many nutrients—for example, chips, cookies, sodas, and alcohol.
The second eating plan is called the DASH Eating Plan. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Following this plan will help you lower your blood pressure. See the resources at the end of this Age Page for more information on DASH.
What are calories? Calories are a way to count how much energy is in food. You use the energy you get from food to do the things you need to do each day.
Just counting calories is not enough for making healthy choices. For example, a medium banana, 1 cup of flaked cereal, 2-1/2 cups of cooked spinach, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or 1 cup of 1% milk--all have roughly the same number of calories. But, the foods are different in many ways. Some have more of the nutrients you might need than others do. Milk gives you more calcium than a banana, and peanut butter gives you more protein than cereal. And a banana is likely to make you feel fuller than a tablespoon of peanut butter.
Here's a tip: In the USDA Food Guide, eating the smallest amount suggested for each food group gives you about 1,600 calories. The largest amount has 2,800 calories.
As you get older, you might not be able to eat all the foods you used to eat. For example, some people become lactose intolerant. They have symptoms like stomach pain, gas, or diarrhea after eating or drinking something with milk in it, like ice cream. Most can eat small amounts of such food or can try yogurt, buttermilk, or hard cheese. Lactose-free foods are available now also. Your doctor can test to see if you are lactose intolerant.
Is it harder to chew? Maybe your dentures need to fit better, or your gums are sore. If so, a dentist can help you. Until then, you might want to eat softer foods that are easier to chew.
Be sure to talk with your doctor if you have trouble controlling your urine. Don't stop drinking liquids. There are better ways to help bladder control problems.
It is better to get fiber from food than dietary supplements. Start adding more fiber slowly. That will help avoid unwanted gas. Here are some tips for adding fiber:
People tend to eat more salt than they need. If you are over age 50, about 2/3 of a teaspoon of table salt--1500 milligrams (mg) of sodium--is all you need each day. That includes all the sodium in your food and drink, not just the salt you add when cooking or eating. If your doctor tells you to use less salt, ask about a salt substitute. Some contain sodium. Also, don't add salt during cooking or at the table, and avoid salty snacks and processed foods. Look for the word sodium, not salt, on the Nutrition Facts panel. Choose foods labeled "low-sodium." Often, the amount of sodium in the same kind of food can vary greatly between brands.
Here's a tip: Spices, herbs, and lemon juice can add flavor to your food, so you won't miss the salt.
Before cooking, handle raw food with care. Keep it apart from foods that are already cooked or won't be cooked, like salad, fruit, or bread. Be careful with tools--your knife, plate, or cutting board, for example. Don't cut raw meat with the same knife you will use to make a salad. Rinse raw fruits and vegetables before eating. Use hot soapy water to wash your hands, tools, and work surfaces as you cook.
As you get older, you can't depend on sniffing or tasting food to tell if it has gone bad. Try putting dates on foods in your refrigerator. Check the "use by" date on foods. If in doubt, toss it out.
Here's a tip: Make sure food gets into the refrigerator no more than 2 hours after it is cooked—whether you made it yourself or brought it home from a restaurant.
Think about how much of a food you will use. A large size may be cheaper per unit, but it is only a bargain if you use all of it. Try to share large packages of food with a friend. Frozen vegetables in bags save money because you can use small amounts and keep the rest frozen. If a package of meat or fresh produce is too large, ask a store employee to repackage it in a smaller size.
Here are other ways to keep your food costs down:
Sound familiar? These are a few common reasons some older people don't eat healthy meals. But, making healthy food choices is a smart thing to do—no matter how old you are!
Here are some tips to get you started:
- Eat many different colors and types of vegetables and fruits.
- Make sure at least half of your grains are whole grains.
- Eat only small amounts of solid fats, oils, and foods high in sugars. Limit saturated fat (found mostly in foods that come from animals) or trans fats (found in foods like some margarines, shortening, cookies, and crackers).
Two Plans for Healthy Eating
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) suggest two eating plans. Eating a variety of foods from each food group in either plan will help you get the nutrients you need.One plan is called the USDA Food Guide (also known as MyPyramid). It suggests that people 50 or older choose healthy foods every day from the following:
Fruits—1-1/2 to 2-1/2 cups
What is the same as 1/2 cup of cut-up fruit? One medium whole fruit or 1/4 cup of dried fruit
Vegetables—2 to 3-1/2 cups
What is the same as a cup of cut-up vegetables? Two cups of uncooked leafy vegetable
Grains—5 to 10 ounces
What is the same as an ounce of grains? One roll, a small muffin, a slice of bread, 1 cup of flaked, ready-to-eat cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice, pasta, or cereal
Meat/beans—5 to 7 ounces
What is the same as an ounce of meat, fish, or poultry? One egg, 1/4 cup of cooked beans or tofu, 1/2 ounce of nuts or seeds, or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
Milk—3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk
What is the same as 1 cup of milk? One cup of yogurt or 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of cheese. One cup of cottage cheese is the same as 1/2 cup of milk.
Your doctor may have suggested that you follow a certain diet because you have a health problem like heart disease or diabetes. Or, you might have been told to avoid eating certain foods because they can change how well your medicines work. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about foods you can eat instead.
Here's a tip: Stay away from "empty calories." These are foods and drinks with a lot of calories but not many nutrients—for example, chips, cookies, sodas, and alcohol.
The second eating plan is called the DASH Eating Plan. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Following this plan will help you lower your blood pressure. See the resources at the end of this Age Page for more information on DASH.
How Much Should I Eat?
How much you should eat depends on how active you are. If you eat more calories than your body uses, you gain weight.What are calories? Calories are a way to count how much energy is in food. You use the energy you get from food to do the things you need to do each day.
Just counting calories is not enough for making healthy choices. For example, a medium banana, 1 cup of flaked cereal, 2-1/2 cups of cooked spinach, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or 1 cup of 1% milk--all have roughly the same number of calories. But, the foods are different in many ways. Some have more of the nutrients you might need than others do. Milk gives you more calcium than a banana, and peanut butter gives you more protein than cereal. And a banana is likely to make you feel fuller than a tablespoon of peanut butter.
Here's a tip: In the USDA Food Guide, eating the smallest amount suggested for each food group gives you about 1,600 calories. The largest amount has 2,800 calories.
How Much Is on My Plate?
How does the food on your plate compare to how much you should be eating? For example, one very large chicken breast could be more from the meat/beans group than you are supposed to eat in a whole day. Here are some general ways you can check:- 3 ounces of meat, poultry, or fish = deck of cards
- 1/2 cup of fruit, rice, pasta, or ice cream = 1/2 baseball
- 1 cup of salad greens = baseball
- 1-1/2 ounces of cheese = 4 stacked dice
- 1 teaspoon of butter or margarine = 1 dice (or die)
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter = ping pong ball
- 1 cup of flaked cereal or a baked potato = fist
How many calories do people over age 50 need each day?
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Having Problems with Food?
Does your favorite chicken dish taste different? As you grow older, your sense of taste and sense of smell may change. Foods may seem to have lost flavor. Also, medicines can change how food tastes. They can also make you feel less hungry. Talk to your doctor about whether there is a different medicine you could use. Try extra spices or herbs on your foods to add flavor.As you get older, you might not be able to eat all the foods you used to eat. For example, some people become lactose intolerant. They have symptoms like stomach pain, gas, or diarrhea after eating or drinking something with milk in it, like ice cream. Most can eat small amounts of such food or can try yogurt, buttermilk, or hard cheese. Lactose-free foods are available now also. Your doctor can test to see if you are lactose intolerant.
Is it harder to chew? Maybe your dentures need to fit better, or your gums are sore. If so, a dentist can help you. Until then, you might want to eat softer foods that are easier to chew.
Read the LabelAt first, reading labels on many packaged foods may take some time. The facts there can help you make better food choices. Labels have a Nutrition Facts panel. It tells how much protein, carbohydrates, fats, sodium, key vitamins and minerals, and calories are in a serving. The panel also shows how many servings are in the package—be careful because sometimes what you think is one serving is really more.Each can, bottle, or package label also has an ingredients list. Items are listed from largest amount to smallest. |
Do I Need to Drink Water?
With age, you may lose some of your sense of thirst. Drink plenty of liquids like water, juice, milk, and soup. Don't wait until you feel thirsty. Try to drink several large glasses of water each day. Your urine should be pale yellow. If it is a bright or dark yellow, you need to drink more liquids.Be sure to talk with your doctor if you have trouble controlling your urine. Don't stop drinking liquids. There are better ways to help bladder control problems.
What about Fiber?
Fiber is found in foods from plants—fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Eating more fiber might prevent stomach or intestine problems, like constipation. It might also help lower cholesterol, as well as blood sugar.It is better to get fiber from food than dietary supplements. Start adding more fiber slowly. That will help avoid unwanted gas. Here are some tips for adding fiber:
- Eat cooked dry beans, peas, and lentils often.
- Leave skins on your fruit and vegetables if possible.
- Choose whole fruit over fruit juice.
- Eat whole-grain breads and cereals.
Should I Cut Back on Salt?
The usual way people get sodium is by eating salt. The body needs sodium, but too much can make blood pressure go up in some people. Most fresh food contains some sodium. Salt is added to many canned and prepared foods.People tend to eat more salt than they need. If you are over age 50, about 2/3 of a teaspoon of table salt--1500 milligrams (mg) of sodium--is all you need each day. That includes all the sodium in your food and drink, not just the salt you add when cooking or eating. If your doctor tells you to use less salt, ask about a salt substitute. Some contain sodium. Also, don't add salt during cooking or at the table, and avoid salty snacks and processed foods. Look for the word sodium, not salt, on the Nutrition Facts panel. Choose foods labeled "low-sodium." Often, the amount of sodium in the same kind of food can vary greatly between brands.
Here's a tip: Spices, herbs, and lemon juice can add flavor to your food, so you won't miss the salt.
What about Fat?
Fat in your diet comes from two places--the fat already found in food and the fat added when you cook. Fat gives you energy and helps your body use certain vitamins, but it is high in calories. To lower the fat in your diet:- Choose cuts of meat, fish, or poultry (with the skin removed) with less fat.
- Trim off any extra fat before cooking.
- Use low-fat dairy products and salad dressings.
- Use non-stick pots and pans, and cook without added fat.
- Choose an unsaturated or monosaturated vegetable oil (check the label) or a nonfat cooking spray.
- Instead of frying, broil, roast, bake, stir-fry, steam, microwave, or boil foods.
Keeping Food Safe
Older people must take extra care to keep their food safe to eat. As you get older, you are less able to fight off infections, and some foods could make you very sick. Be sure to fully cook eggs, pork, fish, shellfish, poultry, and hot dogs. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian, a nutrition specialist, about foods to avoid. These might include raw sprouts, some deli meats, and foods that are not pasteurized (heated to destroy disease-causing organisms), like some milk products and juices in the refrigerated section of the grocery.Before cooking, handle raw food with care. Keep it apart from foods that are already cooked or won't be cooked, like salad, fruit, or bread. Be careful with tools--your knife, plate, or cutting board, for example. Don't cut raw meat with the same knife you will use to make a salad. Rinse raw fruits and vegetables before eating. Use hot soapy water to wash your hands, tools, and work surfaces as you cook.
As you get older, you can't depend on sniffing or tasting food to tell if it has gone bad. Try putting dates on foods in your refrigerator. Check the "use by" date on foods. If in doubt, toss it out.
Here's a tip: Make sure food gets into the refrigerator no more than 2 hours after it is cooked—whether you made it yourself or brought it home from a restaurant.
Can I Afford to Eat Right?
If your budget is limited, it might take some thought and planning to be able to pay for the foods you should eat. Here are some suggestions. First, buy only the foods you need. A shopping list will help with that. Before shopping, plan your meals, and check your supply of staples like flour and cereal. Make sure you have some canned or frozen foods in case you do not feel like cooking or cannot go out. Powdered, canned, or ultra-pasteurized milk in a shelf carton can be stored easily.Think about how much of a food you will use. A large size may be cheaper per unit, but it is only a bargain if you use all of it. Try to share large packages of food with a friend. Frozen vegetables in bags save money because you can use small amounts and keep the rest frozen. If a package of meat or fresh produce is too large, ask a store employee to repackage it in a smaller size.
Here are other ways to keep your food costs down:
- Plain (generic) labels or store brands often cost less than name brands.
- Plan your meals around food that is on sale.
- Prepare more of the foods you enjoy, and quickly refrigerate the leftovers to eat in a day or two.
- Divide leftovers into small servings, label and date, and freeze to use within a few months.
