A Complete Guide to Common Health Concerns for Older Adults

The health concerns accompanying aging are an important topic as the population of older adults in the US continues to grow. The number of people 65 and older is projected to double in the next 40 years.1 What common health concerns will play a role as this phenomenon continues?

The saying “knowledge is power,” certainly applies to this topic–understanding common problems you can face with aging allows you to make changes that can help prevent or manage them. Spotting early warning signs can give you an advantage in successfully treating some conditions, or even save your life in some cases.

We’ll explain these common health concerns here, along with symptoms you should know and possible treatment approaches that you can discuss with your doctor.

What are the most common health concerns for older adults?

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) reports that 80% of adults age 65 and older have at least one chronic (ongoing) health condition, and 68% have two or more. 2 Using data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the NCOA lists the 10 most common chronic health conditions older adults face as follows:

Hypertension
High cholesterol
Arthritis
Ischemic/coronary heart disease
Diabetes
Chronic kidney disease
Heart failure
Depression
Alzheimer’s and dementia
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The following breakdown of each of these health concerns, along with tips on how to manage them, can help you approach them with confidence and live a healthier life as you age.

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

This is more common for older adults because of changes in blood vessels that happen with age. Untreated high blood pressure can lead to several serious health problems, including some of the other health issues listed above: stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, vascular dementia, and eye problems. 3

People may not always experience symptoms that their blood pressure is chronically high. Regular visits to the doctor can help identify this problem, as well as checking it yourself regularly and reporting high results to your doctor for further advice.

According to the American Heart Association, normal blood pressure is any reading below 120/80. 4

If your blood pressure is too high, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes along with medication to help control it. Exercising, losing weight, quitting smoking, limiting salt and alcohol intake, eating a heart-healthy diet, getting a good night’s sleep, and reducing stress can all help you to control your blood pressure.

High cholesterol

If the levels of cholesterol in your blood are elevated, it means you have too many lipids (fats) in your bloodstream. These fats can build up on the walls of blood vessels, causing fatty deposits (plaques).

High cholesterol, over time, can cause problems like hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease.

Along with medications, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes to help improve your cholesterol levels. Following these healthy habits can help prevent high cholesterol if you don’t already have it, too. These lifestyle changes include: 5

Eat a heart-healthy diet low in saturated and trans fats, and high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
Exercise regularly
Quit smoking
Reduce alcohol consumption
Lose excess weight

Arthritis

This condition is very common in older adults, with 49.6% of people age 65 and older reporting that their doctor has diagnosed them with arthritis. 6 The discomfort from arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. 7

Although there are many types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is a common form experienced by older adults. To treat this, doctors often prescribe a combination of anti-inflammatories like NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) and pain medication. They may also recommend physical therapy or occupational therapy.

In some cases, injections of steroids or other medications into the joint can help relieve symptoms. And transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can also treat painful joints. In severe cases, joint replacement surgery may be the best option.

Along with these medical interventions, your doctor may make the following recommendations for care at home:

Losing weight
Low-impact exercise
Heat and cold for pain and muscle aches
Topical joint pain ointments
Yoga
Supportive braces
Assistive devices like canes

Coronary heart disease

Also called simply “heart disease” and “coronary artery disease,” coronary heart disease affects 18.2 million adults in the United States. 8 Coronary arteries are the large blood vessels that supply oxygen to the heart. Problems with these arteries can lead to a heart attack.

A common cause of coronary heart disease is high cholesterol. Along with age, genetics, and environmental causes, the following lifestyle changes can help you to avoid or improve coronary heart disease: 9

Quit smoking
Maintain a healthy blood pressure
Eat a heart-healthy diet
Get regular exercise
Aim for a healthy weight
Get a good amount of sleep regularly
Manage stress

Diabetes

Affecting as many as 33% of adults age 65 and older, diabetes, or chronic high blood sugar, increases your risk for kidney failure and heart disease. 10 If you’ve been diagnosed, it’s vital that you work with your healthcare providers to properly treat your diabetes with insulin, diet, and exercise.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes (the most common type of diabetes in older adults) include excessive thirst and urination, feeling overly tired, blurry vision, weight loss, and increased hunger.

Along with monitoring your blood sugar levels, if you have diabetes your doctor will periodically perform a blood test called the A1C, which looks at how well your blood sugar levels have been controlled over the past 3 months. This test can also identify pre-diabetes, which means you’re beginning to develop diabetes. An ideal A1C level is less than 7%. 11

To reduce your risk for diabetes and to help control it if you’ve been diagnosed, these lifestyle changes are recommended: 12

Lose weight, if you’re overweight
Stop smoking
Eat healthy foods
Get regular exercise

If you have diabetes:

Manage your blood pressure and cholesterol
Have yearly eye exams to check for eye disease caused by diabetes
Check your kidneys: ask your doctor how often they are looking for early problems
Protect your skin, and check your feet often. People with diabetes can develop undetected skin injuries and infections

Chronic kidney disease

The National Kidney Foundation recommends annual screening for kidney disease for anyone over 60. More than 50% of adults over the age of 70 have kidney disease. 13 Risk factors include high blood pressure and diabetes, so controlling those health concerns is important.

Symptoms of chronic kidney disease include:

Fatigue
Decreased appetite
Trouble sleeping
Swollen feet and/or ankles
Dry, itchy skin
Increased urination/nighttime urination
Muscle cramping at night
Trouble concentrating
Puffy eyes

The CDC recommends the following strategies to reduce your risk of kidney disease: 14

Ask your doctor to regularly screen you for kidney disease
Lose weight, if you’re overweight
Quit smoking
Stay active
Control your blood pressure
Treat diabetes properly, if diagnosed
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Reduce your salt intake
Maintain a healthy cholesterol level
Take any medications recommended by your doctor

Heart failure

Also called congestive heart failure or CHF, heart failure develops when your heart muscle is weak and can’t pump blood effectively. It is more common as people age. Having coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and being overweight can all increase your risk for heart failure.

Symptoms of heart failure include fatigue, trouble breathing (sometimes even with minimal activity), chest discomfort, heart palpitations, cough, chest pressure, swollen feet, ankles, or legs, and inability to lie flat to sleep.

Along with medications, like any chronic health condition, there are lifestyle changes you can make to reduce the risk of heart failure, and manage it if you’ve been diagnosed. These include:

Quit smoking if you smoke
Maintain a healthy weight
Get regular exercise
Eat a heart-healthy diet
Avoid excess sodium
Cut back on alcohol consumption

Depression

This mood disorder is more than just sadness, “the blues,” or grieving a loss. The feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and sadness that come with depression last for weeks, months, or even years, and interfere with a person’s ability to do everyday things.

For older adults, isolation, illness, and loss of physical abilities can lead to or exacerbate depression. And because they are less likely to seek help for depression, it may be overlooked.

Symptoms of depression to watch for include:

Hopelessness
Loss of interest in activities or hobbies the person used to enjoy
Overeating, or the opposite– decreased appetite
Sleeping too much, or sleeping too little
Restlessness and irritability
Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Unexplained aches, pains, and digestive upset
Fatigue
Suicidal thoughts

Depression is not a normal part of aging. It’s important to talk to your doctor if you are concerned that you’re noticing signs of depression.

For some older adults, medications they take for another chronic health concern can cause the symptoms of depression. Your doctor will need to consider whether this is a possible cause and can suggest treatment options to improve depression symptoms.

Along with talking to your doctor about ways to manage depression, there are steps you can take that can help reduce symptoms. Connecting with others, staying physically active, getting enough sleep, avoiding alcohol, and seeking therapy can all benefit someone with depression.

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias

The memory and personality changes that accompany Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are not considered to be a normal part of aging, despite stereotypes. They are part of a degenerative brain disorder.

If you have noticed memory or behavioral changes in yourself or a loved one, it’s important to have a conversation with your doctor. They can assess your cognitive abilities and help you watch for any new or ongoing changes that may signal a problem.

Being proactive in managing Alzheimer’s and dementia is important. Following routines, putting safeguards in place to prevent wandering and falls, and enlisting family and professional caregiver assistance can limit some of the confusion and dangers that memory loss can cause.

It’s also critical that you plan for the future now, by having conversations with your loved ones about your advance directives and end-of-life care.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

COPD is an umbrella term covering several chronic lung diseases: emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive lung disease. Along with chronic cough and shortness of breath, COPD can result in exacerbations, where symptoms become worse, sometimes requiring hospitalization.

The most common cause of COPD is smoking– as many as 90% of cases. 15 Occupational exposure to certain kinds of dust and chemical fumes can also contribute to COPD.

Symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath, wheezing, tightness in the chest, chronic cough, fatigue, and frequent respiratory infections.

The best way to reduce the risk of COPD is to quit smoking if you smoke. If you’ve been diagnosed with COPD, you’re at higher risk for infections like the flu, pneumonia, and COVID-19, so making sure you’re up to date on your vaccinations for these respiratory illnesses is also crucial.

Preventing common health concerns with lifestyle changes

You may have noticed a common theme in this discussion about common health concerns for older adults. Although you cannot control things like your age, gender, and genetic predisposition for developing these problems, lifestyle changes can help prevent many of them.

Exercise, healthy eating, quitting smoking, losing weight, getting restful sleep, and managing stress are all goals to incorporate into your everyday life. It’s also important to be sure you keep up with regular doctor’s visits and screening for these problems so you can catch them early if they happen.

Older adults may find some of these lifestyle changes more challenging, due to problems with mobility, for example. Enlisting the help of a close friend or family member can help remove some barriers to healthier living. They can also be an advocate, such as supporting you in organizing your care and helping with medication reminders and refills.

Older adults who use in-home caregiver services may also find that these caregivers can also be a positive source of support for maintaining healthy lifestyle choices. If you’re interested in learning more about this kind of expert care, Caresify’s team is available to help guide you through the process. You can read more here, or call 888-799-5007.

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