A Few Facts on Seniors
Posted on Senior Living Strategies
Filed Under Seniors, senior living |
Seniors are not often given to alcohol or drug use that would impair their faculties and driving abilities. They are not often given to distractions of loud music or driving while using cellphones. Seniors are living in better health, with increased vitality and quality of life. In 1994, almost three out of four seniors living at home rated their health as either good, very good or excellent. Seniors are not the only bloggers blogging to record their thoughts and goings on. Estate Legacy Vaults cites a recent study that indicated 32% of people blog to create a record of their thoughts.
Seniors are less likely to take inappropriate actions when dealing with spam. This cautious online behavior means that seniors are less likely than others to fall victim to email scams. Seniors are also at higher risk of malnourishment. Malnourishment can lead to other health problems including pressure sores and may lengthen hospital stays. Seniors are more likely than any other group to have dietary restrictions, including limits on salt, fat, protein and sugars. Although such diets play a central role in managing many medical conditions, they can be so bland and unappealing that older adults simply stop eating.
Seniors are much less likely than younger age groups to experience a violent crime such as an assault, sexual assault or robbery. In 2004, there were approximately 12 violent incidents for every 1,000 seniors, a rate that was almost four times lower than that recorded for those aged 55 to 64 (45 per 1,000), and almost twenty times lower than the youngest group aged 15 to 24 (226 per 1,000). Seniors are less likely to report having a dental visit in the past year. While 61% of the population reports having a dental visit in the past year; only 45% of seniors 75 years and older report having a dental visit. Seniors are targeted for many kinds of consumer fraud, especially home improvement, financial exploitation, telemarketing and sweepstakes. Scam artists engaging in identity theft, telemarketing and sweepstakes frauds have targeted this group, because seniors are often vulnerable to their pitches.
Seniors are prone to nutritional and vitamin deficiencies because they are at risk for being malnourished. They are particularly at risk for many reasons including poor appetite due to medications, disability, or reduced food intake due to intestinal disorders, diabetes, or restrictive diets. Seniors are overrepresented in traffic crash statistics. Per kilometre driven, seniors are more likely than other drivers (except for very young drivers) to be involved in a crash. Seniors are among the most under-treated populations for mental health. An article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal noted that physicians are unable to detect depression in nearly 90% of depressed seniors in hospital care.
Seniors are under-represented in clinics specializing in the treatment of pain. When a senior has another condition which affects his or her ability to communicate (e.g. Seniors are a diverse and growing population, ranging from active, working or recently retired people able to shop and prepare food for themselves to frail and often much older adults. Home bound seniors may have particular difficulty applying for and or using food stamps.
Given common assumptions about baby boomers and seniors, the results were somewhat surprising in that this group is generally healthy and physically active. Of those polled, 97 percent say they are in good, very good or excellent health and 45 percent consider themselves above average in physical fitness. Given her international focus, it seems appropriate that Elizabeth Nathan is going overseas to continue her studies. A physics and astronomy concentrator at Harvard, Nathan aims to earn a master’s degree in international relations, with a focus on “international security and science policy,” as the Harvard-American Friends of Cambridge University Scholar at Pembroke College. Given the fact there is a strong correlation between lower extremity weakness in the elderly and their risk of falling, programs should emphasize strengthening of muscles, ligaments and bones to reduce the risk of such injuries. Osteoporosis, hip fractures and immobility all contribute to these tragedies that can be blamed on inadequate muscle strength.
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