In this month of honoring Dad, it’s the perfect time to take action and be proactive about our senior men’s health, to be sure the men in our lives are as healthy and fit as possible. In conjunction with Father’s Day, June is likewise designated as Men’s Health Awareness Month – something we need to all pay attention to, as men are not as likely as women to go to a doctor, even with a lower life expectancy and an increased tendency for a staggering 14 out of 15 of the primary factors behind death.
Editor in Chief for the American Journal of Men’s Health, Demetrius Porche, DNS, RN, sums it up: “Men put their health last. Most men’s thinking is, if they can live up to their roles in society, then they’re healthy.”
Encourage the older men in your life to choose a proactive stance to healthcare and reduce their chance of being diagnosed with these key senior men’s health risks:
- Cardiovascular disease. Followed by stroke, heart disease is typically the top reason for death worldwide, and American men are at an especially heightened risk. Preventative steps to take involve checking (and managing) cholesterol and blood pressure, and embracing healthy lifestyle choices such as eating lots of fruits and vegetables, exercising, and stopping smoking.
- Prostate cancer. As many as 200,000 men are expected to be told they have prostate cancer this year alone. Men need to consult with their doctors for a recommendation on prostate cancer screenings.
- Diabetes. Diabetes is a specific worry for males, as it frequently starts without showing any observable symptoms prior to advancing to an unhealthy level, which could result in stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, blindness and amputations. Research indicates that men who regularly work out a minimum of 30 minutes each day can cut the chance of developing diabetes in half.
- Lung cancer. As many as 90% of lung cancer cases stem from smoking; the good news is, non-smoking men are at a fantastic advantage in preventing the disease. If your loved one smokes, encourage him to speak with the doctor for help in stopping.
- Depression. Men are just as likely to be impacted by depression as women; however, they are more likely to brush their thoughts and feelings under the rug rather than seek assistance. It is important to understand that depression is a treatable affliction – and left untreated, may result in suicidal thoughts. And even though women are more likely to attempt suicide, men are more likely to carry out an attempt to completion.
At Home With You Senior Care, it’s our top priority to make sure that the seniors within our care are as healthy and well as possible, and enjoying life to the fullest. If you are concerned about the health of a senior man in your life, we are here to help in a number of ways: transportation to medical appointments, preparation of healthy meals, encouragement to be involved in exercise programs, and pleasant companionship to keep loneliness – a major contributor to depression in seniors – at bay. Contact us at 410-756-0959 for more information on our top-rated elder care in Howard County and how we can help with senior men’s health!