Beat the Top Aging Challenges

Monday January 4, 2010 Let's face it, aging isn't always fun -- there are some very real and serious challenges that come up as our body ages. The best thing to do is to be aware of these challenges, prevent them when possible and manage them well. Find out about the top 10 aging challenges and what you can do to help make sure they don't impact your quality of life (or the quality of life of a loved one).

Top Ten Aging Challenges And What To Do About Them

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Aging well means having a savvy strategy to face the challenges that may be coming your way. Here's some advice on how to prevent or minimize your risk for each of these 10 challenges of aging, as identified by the University of Texas Medical School, Division of Palliative Medicine.

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1. Functional Decline

Changes in the body due to age can result in loss of muscle mass, changes in balance and other factors that impact day-to-day function. Overcoming these changes requires solid strategy, preventative measures and a good bit of common sense. Get started today preventing and modifying the changes your body is making.

What is Functional Decline?

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Question: What is Functional Decline? Answer: Functional decline is the loss of certain abilities. Agerelated functional decline is the loss of certain abilities due to aging or age-related problems. Here is a list of some typical types of functional decline. Click on the links to learn more and get some ideas for preventing or minimizing these types of functional decline. Common Age-Related Types of Functional Decline

Vision problems, including macular degeneration1, trouble reading2, cataracts3, and glaucoma4. Hearing problems5 like loss of hearing and hearing aids6. Balance problems7 :2:

Memory and brain problems like changes in mental fitness8 or dementia9. Weakness in bones10 like osteopenia11.

This is just a sort list of all the things that might change in a person's body due to aging that could cause functional decline. You can give yourself your best chance of the least amount of functional decline through focusing on a healthy lifestyle12.

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2. Depression

The elderly may very well be the age group most impacted by depression. Isolation, changes in the body and other factors all contribute to older people feeling sad and depressed. The good news is that many types of depression can be treated. Know the warning signs of depression and help older people get help.

Depression and Aging: Warning Signs

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Aging isn't the most fun thing in the world and, if a person is not careful, aging can really get to someone. In fact, seniors have some of the highest depression rates of any age group. They have often suffered the loss of one or more loved ones and may be facing chronic illness as well. Depression is a major challenge of aging. Anyone caring for (or caring about) a loved one should be aware of the warning signs of depression. Warning Signs of Depression Here are some warning signs of depression from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging: Feeling "empty," sad and/or anxious Lack of energy No interest of pleasure from daily activities, including sex Trouble sleeping (both not enough sleep and too much sleep) :4:

Changes in eating patterns (both more and less food) Strange aches and pains that seem untreatable Excessive crying Trouble focusing, remembering or making decisions Feelings of guilt, helplessness, worthlessness or hopelessness Being unusually irritable Suicidal thoughts, a suicide attempt or frequent thoughts about death

The definition of depression that I once heard and makes the most sense to me is "a lack of engagement in life." For a depressed person, everything seems uninteresting and not worth the trouble -- sort of a global lack of enthusiasm for anything. Of course, that is just one type of depression, but that definition helps me personally when I am trying to figure out if someone I know and care about is depressed or not. What to Do About Depression Depression is a complicated illness involving physiological and emotional causes all mixed together. If someone is truly depressed, they should be under the care of a professional who can help find solutions to their medical condition. There is some debate about whether or not minor, temporary depression can be prevented through lifestyle changes. Some research suggests (but doesn't prove) that exercise, relaxation techniques and increasing social activity can all help reduce the chances of depression. Sleep is another factor that could reduce depression at times. More on lifestyle changes and depression: 1 Depression and Exercise 2 Vitamin D and Depression

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3. Disease

Diseases can build up over time. Many older people are dealing with multiple diseases (and multiple medications). The symptoms of the disease can affect daily life and decrease the quality of life. Work hard to prevent disease and manage disease well to minimize the impact on your life.

Easy Steps for Disease Prevention 6 Steps for Disease Prevention

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Disease prevention and keeping up with your health care and health screenings can be overwhelming. Everywhere you look, someone is telling you something different. Each day there is a new superfood1 or physical activity recommendation2. The bookstore is filled with aisles of anti-aging books3. All this makes health so complicated that many people just give up. Well, Im here to tell you that disease prevention is not that hard. Why Bother With Disease Prevention? I hope that seems like a silly question to you, but there are a lot of people out there who dont take the trouble to take care of their bodies. This drives me crazy. There are simple things that you can do to make yourself healthier and prevent a number of diseases. The great thing is that most of the disease prevention recommendations will also help you sleep better4, have more energy5 and just plain feeling good. Meanwhile, you will :6:

potentially be preventing years of suffering, costly treatments and even a premature death. If that is not enough motivation, then do it for the people who love and depend on you (and will have to take care of you if you get a chronic illness). If that is still not enough reason, then follow disease prevention guidelines to help the nation with the ongoing healthcare crisis. Many experts believe that we are in a healthcare crisis simply because we are an overweight, unhealthy nation to begin with that relies too heavily on modern medicine instead of healthy living principles. Think of the cost savings if everyone followed these simple disease prevention guidelines. Sorry to pull out the big guns to try to get you to pay attention to these guidelines, but it really does just get on my nerves that so many people are ignoring what we all know if healthy behavior. It is sad to see so much unnecessary disease and suffering. So what Ive tried to do is boil down the disease prevention guidelines that are out there and include links to various resources to get you started. I recommend picking one of these 6 steps each week. Work on it for the whole week and get it as best you can, then move onto the next. Keep repeating the 6 week cycles until you have mastered each one. This disease prevention checklist is based on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Forces6 evaluation of the scientific literature on what health care, health screenings and healthy living guidelines really work. There is no source more authoritative than this. The problem is that the information just doesnt get out there. Of course, you should talk with your doctor about these recommendations. Print this article and bring it with you and discuss each point. There may be additional things for you to do based on your family history, health condition and other factors. But this is a great starting place to navigating health care and disease prevention. 6 Steps to Healthy Living and Disease Prevention There are 6 things that you need to do to live healthy, prevent diseases, increase your longevity, master health care and just :7:

feel better. You may already do some of these things, but chances are you can improve in each one: 1. Get your health screening tests (see health screenings for women1 or health screenings for men2). Lots of people have weird logic around health screening tests. They say things like I dont want to know if something is wrong with me. This, of course, is ridiculous (but understandable). These tests are specifically chosen because catching the specific illnesses early can make a huge difference in the course of the illness and can even work as disease prevention. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force does not recommend tests that dont matter to the health outcome. So be sure to have these tests done. If you need help finding a doctor, try this guide to doctors3 in your area (choose the specialty preventive medicine, general practice or family practice). 2. Dont smoke4. Really, just dont smoke. It is simply incredible how much smoking shortens both the length of a persons life and the quality. If you do smoke, quitting is your number one health priority. Try these smoking cessation5 resources. 3. Be Active6. Keeping yourself healthy means moving and using your body. There are standardized exercise recommendations7 for people. Exercise has a number of benefits8, including improving your sex life9 and giving you more energy10. Work exercise into your daily/weekly schedule for years more life. 4. Eat Healthy11. Sure, we all know that we should eat a healthy diet, but did you know that adding just 2 servings of fruit and vegetables12 a day could increase your life expectancy? Building healthy eating habits13 is possibly the single most important thing you can do to protect your health, prevent disease and minimize the severity of any conditions you already have. Besides, once you get used to healthy foods, they taste better and give you more energy than all the processed junk foods out there (really, you just :8:

need about a week of no cheating to start feeling the difference). 5. Lose Weight14. I was going to write stay at a healthy weight but since 70% of U.S. adults are overweight, chances are you can stand to lose a few pounds. Turns out that losing weight isnt as hard as everyone makes it out to be. If you switch out processed foods for fresh produce and get rid of sodas and other sugary foods you can save hundreds of calories a day. Start there. 6. Take Your Medicine. There are some wonderful preventive medicines out there like statins15 (which lower cholesterol). These medicines can prevent heart attacks and even help reverse illnesses. For example, men older than 45 should talk with their doctor about taking a daily aspirin16 to help prevent heart disease (men younger than 45 with high blood pressure, high cholesterol diabetes or smokers should talk to their doctor about it too). Everyone should stay up-to-date with their immunizations17 (most people 50+ should have a flu shot each year and most people 65+ should have a pneumonia shot). What is amazing to me is that so many people do not take advantage of what preventive medicines have to offer. People will take their medicines for a few months and then just stop. It is astounding. If your doctor has suggested a preventive medicine, take it. By doing so, you are getting the full advantage of our high-tech scientific medical system. You will likely live longer and better. Thats pretty amazing for a little pill. Getting Started With Disease Prevention Start your disease prevention program by picking one of the items above each week to focus on. During the week, do your best to optimize that aspect of disease prevention. Some weeks will be easy (like Take Your Medicine) while other weeks will be harder (like lose weight). Keep working until you can cross off an item as mastered.

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4. Abuse and neglect

Abuse and neglect of older persons is far too common. Often, older persons rely on others for care and support. Older persons may even (sometimes due to depression) neglect themselves. Learn the signs of elder abuse and neglect and take action to help the elderly in your life.

Protect Your Loved Ones from Elder Abuse

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Elder abuse, unfortunately, is a growing problem. Every year more than 500,000 cases of elder abuse are reported (and, in all likelihood, millions more unreported). As people grow older, they become more and more dependent on family and other caregivers around them. This dependence leaves them vulnerable to elder abuse. If your have an elder in your family, you should be aware of elder abuse and its warning signs. Elder abusers can be healthcare professionals, family members, friends and professional advisers. Know and understand the types of elder abuse and the warning signs of elder abuse so you can help protect your loved ones.

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Types of Elder Abuse There are seven primary types of elder abuse. Each type of has distinct warning signs and consequences. Become familiar with these types of elder abuse and the warning signs so you can help keep an eye on any caregivers of elders in your neighborhood and in your family. Later, well talk about what to do if you think elder abuse is taking place.

Physical abuse: This is the use of force, or violence, that results in injury. The physical abuse may be used as part of inappropriate care and include things like force feeding, the use of restraints and the use of physical punishment or the improper use of medications (such as sleeping medications or tranquilizers). Signs include bruises, black eyes, rope marks, broken bones, medication overdose, sudden changes in an elders behavior and a caregiver refusing to allow visitors alone with the elder. Sexual abuse: Any sexual act without the consent of all the people involved is considered sexual abuse. This includes situations where the person is unable to give consent. In addition, unwanted touching and photographing are acts of sexual abuse. Sign include stained or bloody underclothing, unexplained genital bleeding and bruises around the breasts or genitals. Emotional/Psychological abuse Using verbal or nonverbal acts to cause emotional pain, anxiety or stress is emotional or psychological abuse. This includes insults, intimidation and humiliation. Disrespect and condescension can also be forms of emotional abuse. Signs include stress, anxiety, withdrawal, strange behavior and agitation. Neglect: The failure of a caregiver to fulfill his or her duties to an elder is elder neglect. Paying bills, providing food and water, bathing, providing clothing and more are all duties that caregivers are obligated to provide. Signs of neglect include poor hygiene, malnutrition, untreated bed sores, poor living conditions, dehydration, unclean living conditions and lack of safety.

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Abandonment: When a caregiver deserts an elder, that is abandonment. This includes the desertion of an elder in public places (such as stores) or in a hospital. Financial exploitation: Financial exploitation of elders is the improper use of the elders money, property or other assets. This includes forging checks, stealing money, tricking an elder into signing a document, or improper managing of the elders financial affairs. Signs include sudden changes in banking practices, unexplained withdrawal of funds, additional people added to bank accounts, sudden changes in the elders will and the sudden transfer of assets away from the elder. Self-neglect: Any behavior that an elder does him or herself that threatens the elders own health may be selfneglect. This includes refusing to eat, bathe or otherwise take care of him/herself. Signs include malnutrition, poor personal hygiene, dehydration, inattention/non-adherence to medications and unclean conditions.

Is It Elder Abuse? It may be difficult to determine when elder abuse is taking place. Taking care of elders is demanding work and conditions like dementia make determining what is really happening challenging. Elders may be intimidated by their abusive caregivers. Your best bet in investigating something suspicious is to talk directly to the elder (without the caregiver present) and to be extremely observant. What To Do? Elder abuse is a crime. You can report it to the elders doctor or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 and they can help you or refer you to a local agency who can give you guidance. How Can I Prevent Elder Abuse? Caring for elders is extremely hard work. Make sure your loved ones caregivers have the resources and support they need. On a bad days, it might not take much to put someone over the edge : 12 :

and in danger of abuse. Be sure caregivers, especially informal (family members) caregivers have a place to vent their frustrations and a way to get relief. Help them do a good job and you can prevent many potentially dangerous situations.

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5. Financial exploitation

Older people can be sitting ducks for scams. Often, older people are more trusting and need more help with finances -- a perfect combination for exploitation. Pay attention to strange and unexpected financial changes and treat any financial "help" with suspicion.

What are the Warning Signs of Financial Expoitation of Seniors

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Question: What are the Warning Signs of Financial Expoitation of Seniors Answer: Financial exploitation of seniors is a serious and all too common problem. Seniors are particularly vulnerable to scams and other forms of financial exploitation because: 1) the wealth that they have accumulated over a lifetime, 2) they may not be familiar with newer types of investing and 3) mental challenges such as dementia or memory trouble may leave them more vulnerable. Signs of Financial Exploitation of Seniors There are some things you should watch for when trying to protect a senior from financial abuse.

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Large, unexplained withdrawal of money from a bank account Sudden changes in financial situation Missing items (like cash or antiques) Strange changes in wills, power of attorney or other legal documents Unpaid bills Unnecessary purchases, services or items.

Of course there are hundreds of other ways that a senior can be financially exploited. If you are truly concerned, ask your loved one to have the bank, brokerage firm or other financial institution send you copies of statements. That way you can track expenditures (making sure bills were paid) without asking for control over the money. If you suspect that someone may be financially exploitation a senior, your can call the elder abuse hotline: 1-800-677-1116

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6. Caregiver Burnout

Caregivers are an essential to help people stay independent as they age and be sure that medical and other needs are taken care of. The problem is that caregiving is hard work. A challenge of aging is making sure that caregivers are staying healthy themselves and avoiding burnout. Luckily, there are some simple things that can be done to help caregivers stay strong, healthy and upbeat.

How Can I Prevent Caregiver Burnout?

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Question: How Can I Prevent Caregiver Burnout? Caregiver burnout is when a caregiver is so stressed and drained that they themselves have trouble functioning and helping take care of someone. Caregivers face untold amounts of stress -- and when caregivers are stressed, everything just seems to fall apart. Answer: Whether you are a caregiver yourself, you are benefiting from a caregiver or you know someone who is a caregiver -- lots can be done to help avoid caregiver burnout. There are really two aspects to caregiver burnout that you should

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think about. We'll call those functional burnout and emotional burnout. Functional burnout is simply the person lacking the resources (time and money usually) to get everything done. The caregiver feels overwhelmed and his or her responsibilities seem impossible to meet. Here's where the caregiver could really use some practical help to make sure everything gets done. You can pitch in. My philosophy is to simply ask the caregiver what would be most helpful. You may be surprised by what he or she says. A simple stop at the grocery store or a driving their loved one to a doctor's appointment may make all the difference. Don't assume you know what is going to help (some types of help, though well meaning, can actually create more work). Offer some suggestions for help: sitting with loved one for an afternoon, preparing some meals, researching about various treatments or helping the caregiver with tasks in his/her own life (like cooking for the caregiver's family, taking the caregivers kids to the movies or cleaning the caregiver's house). Emotional burnout: Being a caregiver is hard, demanding work. Being a caregiver for someone you love is incredibly draining. Caregivers may have a wide range of emotions that they are dealing with (from anger to grief). Emotional burnout is much harder to prevent. Start by being available to simply listen to the caregiver. Good listening means listening without judging or trying to offer suggestions. Just listen. You can also help out emotionally by assisting the caregiver get enough rest, eat well and exercise. Emotions can build up and those three things can help relieve negative emotions (for a while, at least).

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7. Death and Dying

Death and dying are just a part of aging. Not only do each of us have to come to terms with our own death, as we age, we will have to face the deaths of friends and loved ones. Developing an approach to death that works for you is essential to healthy aging.

Dealing With Death and Dying as You Age

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Death and dying are an inevitable part of aging. Whether you are facing your own death or the death of someone you love, it is a certainty (along with taxes, so they say) that death will enter into your life. That doesn't mean you are unprepared for death when it comes. It is a bit of a paradox that the more successful you are at healthy aging and longevity, the more death will be a part of your life. As anyone ages, their friends and family may begin to die. If caught unprepared, this can lead to depression that is common with aging. Figuring out how you are going to cope with death in your life is an anti-aging skill that we should all develop. That said, I am no expert on death and dying, so I'll refer you to a resource that can get you started. What I will do is encourage you to engage with death and dying now before death now. Have : 18 :

a plan about how you will think about death and dying and what you will tell yourself when a loved one passes away. One inspirational quote I read (can't remember where -- sorry) was about a little boy who died. The mother said a little prayer that went something like this: "Dear Sam, thank you for the honor of being your mom. We had a lot of fun. I love you. Please pray for us." I really like this way of thinking. I'm not about to analyze it, but I would hope that, if faced by death, I would be able to reach this level of peace and understanding. It just seems healthy to me. Please go to The Dying Process1 website on About.com to take some time to think about death and dying.

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8. Polypharmacy

Polypharmacy is a term for "many medications" that refers to the fact that many seniors find themselves seeing multiple doctors for different health problems. Often, these doctors will prescribe medication without fully knowing all the medications and other supplements that their patient is taking. Medications can cancel each other out or interact and produce unwanted and even dangerous side effects. It is up to the individual patient to protect herself and communicate with doctors about medications.

What is Polypharmacy?
By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Question: What is Polypharmacy? Answer: Polyphamacy is a term to describe the situation when someone is prescribed multiple medications. This term is most often used when an individual is prescribed an alarming number of uncoordinated medications. Polypharmacy often occurs because an individual patient, especially and older patient, may be under the care of multiple physicians. A person sees three different doctors and gets three different prescriptions. These prescirptions may interact with each other, causing side effects (sometimes dangerous) or they may work against each other, eliminating the benefit of the medication. Of course polypharmacy, is not a problem in itself, but (all too often) there is a lack of coordination among care providers resulting in a risk of drug interactions. The good news is that there are multiple resources available to check a list of medications for possible : 20 :

interactions and side effects. Here are some ideas to avoid interactions is you find you (or someone you love) has a polypharmacy situation:

Keep a list of all your medications including vitamins and over-the-counter items. Bring this list to all your appointments and show it to tour care providers. Ask them to check the list for any possible complications and remember to also ask if any of your symptoms might really be side effects. Go online. There are many websites you can check to see if there are potential problems in your polypharmacy regimen. To learn detailed information about a medication, go to Drugs A to Z1. To look for drug interactions, try this site2. Appoint a lead physician. Ask a family practitioner or a geriatrician to be your "lead physician." As part of this role, that doctor will evaluate your care from all your other doctors, look over medications and make phone calls to coordinate care when necessary. Sometimes all you need to do is to let a doctor know that you would like this level of involvement in your care. Ask your pharmacist. Pharmacists are trained to look for drug interactions and other problems - but the can only do that if they have all your information. Hand them your polypharmacy list and ask them to look it over. This is especially important if you get your medications at more then one pharmacy as all the information won't be in one place.

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9. Falls

Combine vision problems, weakness and a loss of balance (all things that happen with aging) and you've created a recipe for falling. Add to that a loss of bone density and those falls become very serious. Every older person (and every person taking care of them) should assess home and other places for ways to prevent falls.

How Can I Prevent Falls and Hip Fractures?

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Question: How Can I Prevent Falls and Hip Fractures? Falls are the second leading cause of accidental death. Seniors are the most at risk for a serious fall because of changes in balance and strength that can come with aging. Taking a few common sense precautions can help prevent falls and hip fractures. Taking some basic action could save your life, prevent a hip fracture and keep you independent longer. Answer: Here's a list of simple, common sense things to do to prevent falls and hip fractures:

Avoid medications that cause dizziness -ask your doctor and read labels carefully on over-the-counter medications. : 22 :

Get your eyes checked, many falls are caused simply from not seeing an obstacle. Make sure your cane, walker or other device fits and you know how to use it properly -- don't assume you know how to use a cane or walker, get trained. Don't lift anything heavy - it can set you off-balance. Keep flashlights handy, remember many falls are caused simply from not being able to see. Use lots of night-lights (see above) Remove throw rugs and be sure all rugs are on no-slip pads and taped down. Always wear flat, non-slip shoes. Avoid heels, stocking feet and slippers (unless they have a good sole and a back). Exercise to maintain muscle tone, flexibility and balance1. Use handrails and install shower and bath bars. Remove all obstacles, clutter and other items that may cause you to trip. Turn on the lights. Don't multi-task, especially outside or in a new place -- pay attention to sidewalks, curbs and other obstacles.

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10. Dementia

Alzheimer's disease and dementia can be tragic. The sufferers of these conditions lose the ability to function in the world and can even lose their identity. Know the signs of these illnesses and take action to troubleshoot the numerous problems that dementia or Alzheimer's can cause.

Preventing Cognitive Impairment Risk Factors Differ for Men and Women
By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide Updated January 04, 2010 About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board Cognitive impairment is the loss of brain function. As we age, there is usually some degree of cognitive impairment (often seen as memory loss). Turns out that you can change certain risk factors to reduce your risk of cognitive impairment. Interestingly, these risk factors are not the same for men and women. Sex Matters for Cognitive Impairment Risk Gender makes a difference in your risk of developing cognitive impairment (loss of brain function often associated with aging). More specifically, men and women have different risk factors for age-related cognitive impairment. A study in France looked at almost 7,000 people aged 65 and older. At the beginning of the study none had dementia, though 42% had mild cognitive : 24 :

impairment1. Over a four-year period, 6.5% of those with mild cognitive impairment developed dementia while 37% of those with mild cognitive impairment returned to normal. This "return to normal" surprised me. I viewed cognitive impairment as a progressive issues that just worsened with time, but this study showed that people can drift in and out of a state of mild cognitive impairment. That is good news and implies that changing the risk factors below can do wonders for healthy brain aging. What was interesting is that while men and women developed cognitive impairment at similar rates, the men and women who developed it differed in terms of risk factors. Cognitive Impairment Risk Factors for Women In the study, women who had mild cognitive impairment were likely to have poorer overall health and be disabled. Women developing mild cognitive impairment were also more likely to have insomnia2 and lacked a strong social network (fewer friends and family members). If a woman was dependent on others for daily tasks, her risk of developing dementia was 3.5 times greater than those who were independent. Depression also impacted women more than men. Women suffering from depression were twice as likely to progress from cognitive impairment to dementia. Cognitive Impairment Risk Factors for Men The men in the study with mild cognitive impairment were more likely to be overweight, have a diagnosis of diabetes and/or have had a stroke. The stroke was the most significant risk factor in men, increasing the chances of dementia by a factor of 3. Factors like independence, social network and depression did not seem to be risk factors for men. Risk Factors for Men and Women People in the study who were depressed or taking anticholinergic3 drugs were more likely to move from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. A genetic factor (a gene called ApoE) also occurred in more of the people who progressed to dementia. : 25 :

Why Are Cognitive Risk Factors Different for Men and Women? Good question, but the study can't really answer that one. What I find interesting is that the risk factors for women seem more relationship focused. They include the number of close friends and family members and also whether or not the woman is a "burden" on others. For men, the risk factors seem linked much more to physical health (diabetes, stroke, weight). These differences are intriguing, and we could have lots of fun playing "armchair epidemiologist" by creating theories for why the cognitive risk factors are different for men and women. But the short answer is that we just don't know (yet). Can Cognitive Impairment Be Prevented? While no one really knows how to prevent age-related cognitive impairment, here are a few things to try that will improve your overall health and just might improve your brain health too:

Maintain good relationships4 with friends and family Prevent or treat depression5 Maintain a healthy weight6 Prevent/Manage diabetes7 Prevent a stroke8

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