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Inevitably, some of us will become ill or injured as we get
older, no matter what steps we take to stay healthy and fit.
Arthritis, for example, can hit even the fittest person so we
are all liable to become ill sooner or later.
If we do become ill, then we can do something about it. If we
have been proactive, we may have already taken some steps along
the way to becoming better. People who are fitter do have a
better chance of recovering quicker and more completely than
those who are not fit; maybe we have our own 'fighting fund' for
paying for prompt health care. Have a look at our Being
Proactive page by clicking the link in the box to see how you
can be proactive.
Whether you have been or not, once we do get ill there are
things that we can do and organisations that we can use. We look
at some of them on this page.
Healthwise
We have a comprehensive
Health section on the website, which will provide you with a
wealth of information on health matters in general and which has
links to numerous other sites that can help with specific
issues. If you want to look for something specific, click
here and type in the word or phrase that you wish to search
for. If you add the word 'Healthwise' it will search only in the
Health section; if you don't, you will get a search of the
complete site, which might provide you with further information.
Staying Fit and Healthy links
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Arthritis
Many of us will develop arthritis as we get older. Indeed,
rheumatoid arthritis most commonly occurs when people are in
their thirties. It can be very mild or extremely painful; either
way, you should seek treatment at the earliest possible sign of
it.
As well as reading Healthwise (see above) there is more
information on arthritis at
www.netdoctor.co.uk. The site also has links to other web
pages that list the medicines available and so on. Many people
take glucosamine, which can help relieve the symptoms, and there
are other products that may help at
Maxavita.
Physiotherapists and occupational therapists can play a big
role in helping alleviate arthritis, but initially you should go
to your doctor if you are having problems.
Heart Problems
There are many forms of heart problems but, needless to say,
if you feel that there is anything wrong with your heart, you
should consult your doctor immediately.
It might help you to have confidence in treatment and cure if
you know a little more about how heart conditions are treated,
what drugs are used and so on. To find out more, go to
The British Heart Foundation website and discover the facts
about heart treatment.
Back Pain
As we get older many of us, particularly men, will suffer
from back pain. It's often said that we should still be walking
on all fours and that we haven't evolved sufficiently yet to
walk on just two! It can be very debilitating and, as with
everything else, the first thing to do is to go to your doctor.
 However,
the doctor may well refer you to a physiotherapist or osteopath,
for example, and if you don't want to wait for a long time,
which you very often have to on the NHS, you might want to find
your own specialist. If one is recommended to you, that's good.
However, if you don't have anyone who can recommend a good
practitioner to you, you might find one through the Health
Professions Council (see below for the link).
Memory
We all feel that, as we get older, our memory gets worse. We
all get those 'senior moments'! As with physical illness, if we
are proactive and keep the mind exercised, we can reduce our
memory deterioration. Taking some continuing education or having
hobbies that keep the brain active will help to keep our memory
functioning. There are now a number of computer games, such as
the
Nintendo Brain Training, which are specifically aimed at
keeping our brain and our memory in good working condition.
Living Aids
If you become disabled there are many mobility aids,
disability aids and living aids on the market. If you go to our
own
Living Aids section, you can see a huge range, from stair
lifts to showers, special beds and mattresses. There are hearing
aids, aids for bad backs and incontinence products. Almost every
kind of disability is catered for.
It's reassuring to know that there is help available and that
you can obtain aids to help you - whatever your disability
happens to be. You are not alone.
Health Professionals
It is likely that, at some stage, you will need the services
of a physiotherapist, chiropodist or some other health
professional. Indeed, it is a good idea to see a professional at
an early stage in an illness or injury; many people (especially
men) are reluctant to see someone and then wonder why they are
not getting better. However, it is always reassuring to know
that the person you are seeing is recognised by a professional
body and has proper qualifications. You can check this through
the website of the
Health
Professions Council.
Prevention is better than cure and if you do some of the
things that we talk about on the other pages of this Guide, you
can take some steps to avoiding illness as you get older.
However, the sad fact is that, inevitably, some of us will
become ill in one way or another. If you do, remember that there
is remedial action that we can take. Knowing that there are
things we can do will, hopefully, make us more positive in our
attitude to fighting illness; that in itself can be a huge help
to us.
So now read the other pages to see what steps you can take to
staying fit and healthy as you get older.
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