8 Ways Aging Women Can Maintain Their Health

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As women grow older, they may experience many changes pertaining to their health. These age-related changes could cause senior women to develop a variety of diseases and health conditions. However, good lifestyle choices could stave off these issues. Here are some tips to help aging women maintain their health.

1. Exercise

Women tend to have smaller and thinner bones compared to men. Therefore, senior women are at higher risk for developing osteoporosis. Your senior loved one can build her muscle strength and increase her flexibility by exercising on a regular basis. Make sure she does some type of strengthening exercises to boost muscle strength. This provides the ability to prevent slips and falls.

2. Drink Plenty of Water

Senior women who are dehydrated could develop health issues such as urinary tract infections and pneumonia. Depending on how severe it is, dehydration can lead to confusion, weakness, and even death. Your loved one should drink at least eight glasses of water each day and avoid sugary drinks such as sodas as well as coffee and alcoholic beverages. 

3. Eat a Nutritious Diet

Senior women who are obese are at higher risk for death than those who aren’t obese. They’re also more susceptible to major chronic illnesses and mobility issues. Your loved one should eat foods full of fiber, protein, healthy fats, antioxidants, and other nutrients that can help her lose excessive pounds and maintain a healthy weight. 

Seniors who want to remain healthy as they age can benefit in a variety of ways when they receive professional at-home care. Assisting Hands Home Care is here to help your loved one accomplish daily tasks, prevent illness, and focus on living a healthier and more fulfilling life.

4. Stay Social

Older women are more likely to develop depression than men. You can help your loved one prevent depression by encouraging her to stay socially active. Maintaining friendships, hiring in-home caregivers, and volunteering with local organizations are all great ways for aging women to stay social and reduce the risk of depression. 

For families living in Potomac, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.

5. Stop Smoking

Smoking can cause serious health issues that impact women more than men, including osteoporosis, lung cancer, and heart disease. Smoking can also accelerate hair loss in women. To prevent these issues from developing, your loved one should stop smoking and give up all tobacco products. Encourage her to eat healthy snacks, stay active, and try hobbies such as crafting to curb her desire to smoke. 

6. Practice Good Oral Hygiene

Dry mouth is one of the common oral conditions aging women experience. Although it’s not a common part of aging, dry mouth is a side effect associated with medications taken for many health issues, including anxiety and depression, allergies, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Your loved one should care for her teeth properly and visit the dentist twice per year. 

7. Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure

Exposure to the sun can cause abnormal growths of skin cells, which may lead to skin cancer. There are many tests your loved one can take to detect various types of skin cancer. It’s important that your loved one avoid exposure to natural sunlight and artificial ultraviolet light. 

8. Keep Up with Regular Screenings & Checkups

These screenings are important aspects of disease prevention for senior women. When illnesses are caught early, they can often be reversed, or treatment can slow their progression. Some of the screenings aging women should get include: 

  • Blood pressure and cholesterol
  • Depression evaluations 
  • Vision 
  • Diabetes 
  • Mammograms 
  • Osteoporosis 
  • Hearing

In Potomac, in-home care agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. Our caregivers encourage seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy. Call (301) 363-2580 today to speak with a friendly and experienced Care Manager to formulate a home care plan for your loved one.