Features of older people: psychological and physiological

Mental characteristics of older people

In almost all cases, characteristic features of older people associated with memory are observed. For example, along with the deterioration of the ability to remember, the memory of recent events and intentions or actions related to current life is also impaired.

In old age, it is difficult to remember appointments, dates, phone numbers, new names. An elderly person very quickly forgets what he recently saw on TV or read, and has difficulty remembering where he put an object.

The social status of an elderly person is also changing. And this negatively affects his moral and financial situation, mental state, makes him vulnerable to diseases and poorly adaptable to weather changes.

When a person becomes a pensioner, most often his relationships with other people radically change, as well as his understanding of the meaning of life, happiness, good and evil, and so on. The lifestyle, daily routine, goals and objectives, and social circle become different.

In addition, the hierarchy of self-esteem changes in an older person. He pays less and less attention to his appearance, but more to his internal and physical condition. The older a person is, the more he goes into the past, forgetting about the present and the future. Life prospects become shorter, and the near future naturally prevails over the distant one. Time passes faster for older people, but it is filled less and less with events. As a rule, active people pay more attention to the future even in old age, while passive people pay more attention to the past. Therefore, the former remain optimistic longer.

How do people feel about their own aging?

A normal attitude presupposes an understanding of one’s condition and an adequate perception of information about old age.

Disdainful. People with this attitude may experience unfounded optimism caused by a lack of understanding of their own aging. Underestimation of ongoing processes may be accompanied by bravado that demonstrates disdain for aging. This behavior often hides general weakness, increased anxiety about health, and fear of death.

With a negative attitude, an elderly person tries to drive away thoughts of old age and not pay attention to the processes taking place. This can result in hyperactivity caused by the desire to maintain one's previous status.

A gerontophobic attitude implies a fear of old age. A person, even realizing that he is exaggerating the existing danger, cannot fight his fears. As a result, important personal social goals may be overshadowed, and the need for emotional contact and recognition leads to a demonstration of one's own helplessness.

With a tragic attitude, an elderly person views old age as the downfall of himself, and considers his own life gray and boring. This behavior may be associated with the activation of defense mechanisms against psychological trauma associated with one's own aging.

The gerontophilic attitude, on the contrary, implies calmness, and even some satisfaction with aging, which is seen as freedom and the opportunity to “live for oneself.”

Social and psychological characteristics of older people

According to most sociologists and psychologists, old age is a stage of the life cycle that is characterized by regular social losses with an almost complete absence of gains. At this stage, major life goals have usually been achieved, responsibilities have decreased, participation in social life has decreased, and dependence on others has increased.

It is obvious that the psychological and social characteristics of older people are largely determined by a combination of factors such as a decline in physical capabilities, loss of social status associated with the work performed, a change in function in the family, death or the threat of loss of a loved one, deterioration of material living conditions, forced adaptation to rapid cultural and everyday changes. After all, it is precisely because of this that most of them have a smaller social circle and a change in behavior, leading to the emergence or aggravation of feelings of loneliness.

In addition, older adults are especially likely to lack communication skills. He ceases to be interested in other people, to ask questions, rarely encourages and encourages the interlocutor, and shows almost no benevolence and trust. Most often, he cannot fully express his feelings and does not use such nonverbal manifestations as intonation and facial expressions. And even when an elderly person outwardly seems quite sociable, psychologically he is not always ready for new acquaintances.

Many scientists are trying to combine the social and psychological characteristics of older people discussed above into separate groups depending on their behavior in order to characterize people susceptible to loneliness. For example, from the point of view of the Polish psychologist L. Simeonova, the following types of behavior are distinguished:

A person puts his own success in the center of attention and experiences an insatiable need for self-affirmation. As a result, he loses interpersonal contacts and communication.
Monotonous behavior, when older people follow a certain role established by themselves, which does not allow them to behave relaxed, uninhibited and natural when communicating with others.
All a person’s attention is directed to his feelings. At the same time, he considers the events in his life and internal state to be special. Such elderly people develop suspiciousness, gloomy forebodings, and panicky fear for their health.
Non-standard behavior – that is, a discrepancy between actions and worldviews accepted in a certain social group with the norms and rules. There may be two reasons for such social characteristics of older people: the first is a unique vision of the world around us and the original imagination inherent in a creative person; the second is an unwillingness to take others into account and the belief that everyone should adapt to him.
Low self-esteem with the resulting fear of becoming uninteresting to others. This is especially true for modest people who underestimate themselves and always try to stay in the shadows. They are usually not rejected, but they simply do not notice that they are experiencing quite painful things.

A group of scientists at the University of California led by E. Siegelman received interesting information about the predisposition to loneliness, taking into account the personality type of an elderly person. They identified the following traits as having a particularly negative impact on psychological adaptability:

underestimation and self-pity;
tendency to depression;
the desire to keep people at a distance and avoid close communication;
deceit and deceit, unreliability, hostility towards others, a tendency to attribute one's feelings and motives to others.

Based on this and taking into account the analysis of scientific literature, we can identify the most common social and psychological characteristics of older people:

decreased sociability;
low self-esteem and self-esteem;
decrease in social activity;
changes in the structure of psychological time;
decreased resistance to stress;
development of a sense of uncertainty;
susceptibility to sadness for no reason and others.

These psychological characteristics of older people can cause their social loneliness.

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Human response to aging

A person's attitude towards aging manifests itself in different ways. Psychologists distinguish several types of reactions:

Normal is characteristic of people who are calm about the aging process and understand the changes in their body and general condition.
Dismissive - such people show unhealthy optimism, which is justified by changes in their general condition. Often, under such behavior, people hide the fear of approaching death.
Negative attitude. The individual continues to maintain his social status and tries to participate in social movements so as not to think about death.
Tragic attitude. Old people are depressed because they believe that old age is destroying their body and mind. Because of this, days become gray, boring, joyful moments happen extremely rarely.
Gerontophobic. The individual is afraid of old age. At the same time, he cannot cope with his own fears on his own. Gradually this develops into general helplessness.

The psychological characteristics of older people have been of interest to psychologists for many centuries. This is due to the fact that the standard of living is gradually increasing, and more and more old people are appearing. In order for an elderly person to feel comfortable, it is necessary to create certain conditions for him and learn how to care for him. Then old age will not seem like a dull period in life, which leads only to complete destruction and death.

Nutritional features of older people

It is important to take into account nutritional characteristics when feeding an elderly and sick person.

Nutrient requirements

Squirrels . Taking into account the characteristics of the aging body, the daily amount of protein for men under the age of 75 should be 68 g, over 75 years - 61 g. And for women - 61 and 55 g, respectively. Calculated per 1 kg of body weight, the protein requirement is 1–1.3 g. Excessive protein consumption should be strictly avoided, as this contributes to the development of atherosclerosis, as well as overload of the kidneys and liver.

Fats . An elderly person's diet should include low-fat dairy, fish and seafood products.

The daily intake of fat corresponds to 77 and 65 g for men and 66 and 57 g for women. In this case, the proportion of vegetable fats should be at least 30% in order to sufficiently provide the body with polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is recommended to include in the diet oleic and linolenic fatty acids (olive oil, seafood, flaxseed and hemp oils), which reduce blood viscosity and prevent the formation of blood clots, and also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Foods high in fat should be excluded.

Carbohydrates . Carbohydrates are the main source of energy and should make up at least 50–55% of the total calorie intake. The daily requirement for carbohydrates is 335 and 280 g for men and 284 and 242 g for women. It is important that the proportion of simple sugars does not exceed 10–15% of the total amount of carbohydrates, because their excess increases the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver, increases blood sugar and the risk of developing cancer.

Taking into account the physiological characteristics of older people, they need to consume sufficient amounts of fiber and other complex carbohydrates. The required amount of dietary fiber in the diet helps stimulate intestinal motility, the formation of beneficial microflora in it and is a good prevention of cancer.

Vitamins . An elderly person should especially pay attention to vitamins that have anti-sclerotic, hypotensive (lowering blood pressure), lipotropic and antioxidant effects.

These include: vitamins B6, PP, folic acid, vitamin E, β-carotene. It is also necessary to regularly maintain the level of vitamin C in an elderly body, because it helps to increase redox reactions, normalizes metabolism, slows down the aging process, has a lipotropic effect and helps absorb iron.

In old age, polyhypovitaminosis (deficiency of several vitamins) often occurs.

Basic principles of nutrition for older people

It is recommended to limit the consumption of animal fats, such as butter, cream, fatty meats, and fish roe. Food should be cooked without adding fat: stewed, baked, boiled or steamed.
It is necessary to minimize the consumption of sugar and salt. The norm of sugar per day is no more than 50 grams (in drinks, confectionery), salt – no more than 5 grams (in fish and meat dishes).
Low-fat fermented milk drinks enriched with probiotics are beneficial.
You should definitely add polyunsaturated fatty acids to your diet. They are found in vegetable oils and in fatty fish.
You need a sufficient amount of vitamin C, contained in rosehip decoction, oranges, lemons, currants, blueberries, gooseberries, and grapefruits.
It is recommended to eat foods containing a lot of potassium and magnesium salts: prunes, carrots, cabbage, milk, rice, nuts, beets, dried apricots, millet, potatoes.
It is worth increasing the consumption of foods enriched with dietary fiber: whole grain bread, bran bread, vegetables, berries, fruits.
An elderly body definitely needs B vitamins contained in fish, bran, cereals, bread, dairy and legumes.
Meals should be small and frequent.

Taking into account all the characteristics of an elderly person’s body, its normal functioning requires regular consumption of the following products:

Fermented milk drinks with reduced fat content: yoghurt, fermented baked milk, kefir. They contain calcium, protein, vitamin B2.
Any cereals, as they contain natural dietary soluble fiber. Regular consumption of oatmeal lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Other cereals are no less useful, and they should be consumed several times a day.
At least 3 times a week you need to add legumes to your diet: lentils, peas, beans. They contain protein and phytoestrogens, which significantly reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases. But these products are strictly contraindicated for people suffering from kidney disease, joint disease or gout.
You should eat fatty fish such as sardines, herring, mackerel at least 3 times a week. Fish oil ensures proper and coordinated functioning of the heart, strengthens the immune system, and also normalizes cholesterol metabolism. Fish is rich in vitamins A and D, protein, iron, zinc.
It is imperative to regularly consume greens (parsley, dill, cilantro), they saturate the body with folic acid and vitamin C. It is better to eat fresh greens at least twice a day.
Elderly people especially benefit from berries and fruits rich in biologically active compounds and natural dietary fiber. They protect the elderly body from the development of malignant tumors, and blood vessels from the accumulation of cholesterol.
Daily consumption of nuts and seeds is recommended. They contain protein, vitamins and polyunsaturated acids.
Vegetables are useful raw, stewed or boiled.

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How to measure the quality of life of older people?

For this, there are 4 criteria by which one can judge the quality of life:

Material wealth.
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Or material security is the means to satisfy any list of needs of an elderly person, it is also access to savings existing at a given moment in life or the formation of such for use in an older age. This criterion plays a serious role in the life of every elderly person.
Quality of health status. The aging process implies some deterioration in health, which is a symptom of any malfunctions in the functioning of systems and organs. Based on this, we can say that improving the quality of life of older people is impossible without the necessary maintenance of the biochemical functions of the human body.
Employment and education. This parameter is formed from the social capabilities and activities of a person, as well as his leisure time.
Acceptable living conditions. According to data published by the UN in 2013, the elderly population, for the most part, wants to have the right to choose, to exist independently and independently. That’s why improving the quality of life of older people is so important these days.

Also, having a family plays a huge role in the lives of older people. In old age, people, as a rule, lose some freedom of movement, and with the advent of retirement age, everything revolves around home and their own life. Poor health can greatly limit interests, after which older people seek support from their family and friends.

Worsening health and periods of illness among pensioners negatively affect their general mental state, which entails dependence on their family members. When people get sick with something, they have a higher need for other people's attention and outside help. Since being surrounded by close people gives an elderly person a feeling of security and reliability during periods of experiencing difficulties.

Often, household chores play a distracting role and contribute to acceptance and adaptation to one’s new life and conditions, while caring for children or maintaining a household can prevent gloomy thoughts from entering one’s head at all. This happens because people begin to feel in demand, this helps eliminate depression and gives moral strength to realize their old age.

Statistics show that there are much fewer older men than women. From here comes the understanding that mortality among men is much higher than among the female half of the population. This imbalance was achieved in Russia due to wars, which seriously reduced the male population in military casualties.

The result of this is that the number of single elderly women greatly exceeds the number of the same men. But a trend has been noticed that an older man who has lost his wife often remarries. At the same time, ladies of much younger age become life partners of an elderly man. Women in such conditions have much more problems in this regard, since finding another husband is quite difficult.

The moral side of the issue can be recognized as particularly important for late marriage, since many people want to have a good friend in old age. Therefore, it is necessary to somehow change the public understanding of this issue of old people getting married.

With the well-deserved end of the period of work and with going on a kind of “vacation”, most older people experience feelings of some isolation from society, which, in turn, entails depression and loneliness. Many older people who are not satisfied with their biological age often rapidly become decrepit, and the psychological disorders that manifest themselves in this situation only complicate the already unimportant state of affairs. The conditions in which they are found can also vary greatly. As a rule, single pensioners experience poorer living conditions than elderly people with families.

It happens that suicides occur against the background of such conditions. Both the female and male half are predisposed to such decisions in the event of the loss of a loved one, be it a child or a spouse. Statistics show that 25% of suicides are, in one way or another, related to the death of relatives.

When crossing the age line of 55-65 years , a person may retire or receive a demotion in his career, and a long-term period of depression may occur. Everything has a direct impact on the mental state of an elderly person, a reaction of a decrease in resources (demobilization) appears, when the possible future is assessed only in gloomy tones, and the past, on the contrary, is idealized and perceived as the best part of life.

During such difficult periods, older people may voice passive suicidal intentions. This should prompt their loved ones to think that elderly relatives need urgent help. Such elderly people need to be closely monitored at this time and, if possible, provided with support and moral assistance in order to successfully overcome the life difficulties they have encountered. Therefore, the following are of critical importance: creating favorable living conditions for older people, creating a sense of need for them, and helping them get busy with some household chores.

When overcoming the milestone of 65-75 years, suicidal depression may appear. When an elderly person is in contradictions with himself, tries to defend his rights, writes complaints or goes to various authorities, but does not receive proper understanding or help in his problems, a desire to voluntarily give up his life may arise.

Old people over 75 years of age are the most difficult to maintain the desired mental state. Since such people include pensioners who, for one reason or another, stop taking care of themselves, and sometimes don’t even want to eat. At the same time, their thoughts are occupied with death, about how to quietly leave this world and at the same time not be a burden to anyone.

From all of the above, we can conclude that in maintaining the quality of life of older people, the family plays the most important role . Thus, family members can become a serious obstacle to suicide. Relationships in the family should be built so that each family member feels responsible for the others, including the eldest in the family, supporting his well-being. Help and care are the main aspects in improving the quality of life of an elderly person. Such situations require professional consultation with a social worker.

The conditions and place of life of an elderly person (city or town) can also play a serious role in the pensioner’s perception of the world.

Even in the recent past, there were customs in the villages when a place in their house was reserved for relatives until death, since the common household plot allowed feeding more than one generation. Living together with family members ensured that the old and elderly received the necessary care and also contributed to improving their quality of life.

But unfortunately, or fortunately, the situation is changing, and now many children, when starting their own families, move away from their parents. But to maintain good and complete relationships with relatives, you need a desire to care and help on both sides.

Children play the most important role in this. Many older people have children as adults. Family relationships, as experience shows, are supported first through direct connections, and then, in the absence of children, by other relatives. Separate or joint residence, of course, with regular contact with relatives, determines the role in the life of older people and affects how relationships between them will be maintained. In addition to providing financial assistance to the elderly, they also need moral support, as well as close emotional contact with children. Since it is critically important for pensioners to feel that the connection with their children is not severed, and there are still feelings of love and mutual understanding between them. The care and assistance provided by children shows the elderly that their loved ones still need them. A high quality of life for older people is built on warm relationships between relatives, satisfaction of moral needs for support and the psychological health of family members.

Today, children's financial support for their elderly relatives is very common. Ancestors also do not want to remain in debt and support the household by raising their grandchildren, thereby providing assistance to their family. Many people prefer to spend their pension accruals on family needs, thus providing support to their relatives.

If you look at the numbers, you can see that people who have crossed the age threshold of 65-70 years provide higher financial support to the family than they receive themselves. But over time and upon reaching the age of 75, circumstances can change radically, as the state of health deteriorates and the elderly have to rely on loved ones. If we compare families in which children live with their parents or not so far from them with those families that are located at considerable distances, then the latter show a serious difference in support and care. Statistics show that more than 65% of old people who have their own apartment are of the opinion that they do not receive any help from their children at all. Moreover, those who live with their loved ones say this in only 10% of cases in the rural population and in 20% of cases in the urban population.

If you look at the degree of involvement of medical institutions and other health care workers in the destinies of older people, it turns out to be much less than what children provide for them. Looking at the country as a whole, only 1% of pensioners need help with home care from medical staff, and in Denmark, for example, 3% of the male population and 12% of the female population need such help, while in the UK 4% and 5% respectively . These figures show that around the world, caring for parents has always remained relevant, both in the past and in the present.

If we examine the leisure time of older people, we can see that old people get a lot of pleasure and spend time together with their own grandchildren. Grandchildren are great at relieving grandparents of boredom and facilitating household chores, thereby occupying their time with useful and enjoyable activities. But at the same time, grandchildren can, with their presence, take away the opportunity to do something else, but also useful. There are observations that the number of older working men who live only with their wives is 4 times greater than those who also live with their grandchildren. People who are not burdened with caring for their descendants can engage in physical exercise, walk in nature and devote time to their hobbies. Of course, it is very important for children to have contact with their ancestors, since their relationships are formed somewhat differently than with their parents. Old people have a completely different outlook on life, which allows them to raise young people with all the experience and wisdom.

Spending time with grandchildren and caring for them allows older people to feel important and useful. Therefore, many retirees express the opinion that grandchildren contribute to the discovery of a “second wind”, the emergence of new goals, and a change in the meaning and interests of life.

Features of care for the elderly

Old age is not a disease, but it significantly limits a person’s capabilities. In this regard, there are certain features of working with older people. Due to the fact that immunity weakens over the years, the body is more often attacked by various infections, and diseases are more severely tolerated.

Therefore, caring for an elderly person also includes taking a set of measures to strengthen the body: starting with the necessary diet and ending with physiotherapeutic procedures. It is important to regularly carry out a medical examination in order to identify the first signs of the development of pathological processes.

Mental health also declines with age. An elderly person experiences problems with memory and concentration; he often experiences mood swings, depression, and sleep disturbances. Therefore, in most cases, you may need the help of a psychologist. You should be aware of the peculiarities of communicating with older people and be tactful, patient, attentive and positive.

Of course, dealing with this on your own can be difficult. Today, almost all people are busy with work and are not able to show enough care and attention to the elderly members of their family. And those who have such an opportunity are unlikely to have all the necessary medical knowledge and skills. There are several ways to cope with the situation.

Caring for an elderly relative on your own.

Many people believe that no one else can take good care of their elderly relative. However, as has been said, caring for an elderly person is not an easy job, requiring not only free time, but also knowledge. In reality, any mistake can be fatal. It happens that an elderly relative turns out to be a difficult test for the family.

Nurse services.

A professional nurse is a specialist with a medical diploma who knows all the features of working with older people, is able to strictly follow all medical instructions, is patient, easy-going, friendly and decent. You must trust this person unconditionally, since he will be in the apartment even when you are not there. You should not look for such a specialist through advertisements; there is a high risk of stumbling upon scammers. It is much safer to inquire at a nursing home or private clinic about the service of a visiting nurse.

Care for an elderly person with accommodation in a public institution.

You can only be admitted to a state nursing home with a referral. But to do this, you have to overcome many formalities - collect medical certificates, documents from the social security department and the Pension Fund, take an extract from the house register. If after this they do not refuse you and you receive a referral, you will have to wait your turn, because most government institutions are full and there may not be any vacancies.

As a rule, they provide live-in care for older people only when loved ones are unavailable or independent care is available. Staying there is free or very inexpensive (payment is deducted from the pension). But most establishments have problems with financing, which is why the features of living there leave much to be desired. You may find that the premises are clearly in need of repair, there is a shortage of medicines, and sometimes even the simplest household items (for example, soap or washing powder) become in short supply.

State nursing home staff may be dedicated professionals, but their meager pay discourages them from working hard. Under such conditions, it is obvious that they will have neither the opportunity nor the desire to organize cultural leisure for patients.

Accommodation in a private boarding house for elderly people in need of care.

Commercial boarding houses for the elderly best take into account the features of social work with older people. Either pensioners themselves or their relatives pay for their accommodation, and there are usually no problems with financing there. The goal of a private boarding house is to attract more clients. Therefore, such establishments regularly improve the level of service, offer unique opportunities, as well as favorable payment terms.

Most often they are cottage-type houses located in the suburbs, near a forest or park. Guest rooms are more reminiscent of hotel rooms, differing only in furnishings adapted to the needs of the elderly. In such institutions, pensioners are treated, undergo rehabilitation therapy courses, and also have a good rest. Such centers regularly organize various entertainment programs and leisure activities.

The employees are always highly qualified doctors and nurses specializing in caring for the elderly. And the cost of living in a private boarding house is not much higher than paying for the services of a professional nurse.

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Distinctive features of the psychology of the elderly

It is psychologically difficult to accept your old age, especially in the presence of concomitant disorders. The active form of senile dementia often leaves relatives no choice: it is impossible to leave an elderly person unattended even for an hour, and it is simply not possible for loved ones to quit their jobs. The option of hiring a caregiver is also not suitable for this situation. Old people with dementia can be unpredictable, but they need good nutrition, certain medications, and good personal hygiene.

Daily care for the elderly should include:

change of underwear and bed linen;
water procedures;
quality nutrition taking into account chronic diseases;
daily walks in the fresh air;
taking medications prescribed by a doctor;
monitoring the well-being of an elderly person.

As the manifestations of dementia intensify, older people seem anxious, move chaotically, and their speech is often incoherent. But during the period of remission they are withdrawn and inactive. Some refuse to move and simply lie in bed, forgetting to even eat on time. With this behavior, additional responsibilities will fall on the shoulders of the nurse and relatives: moving the elderly person in bed, fighting bedsores, the need for daily bathing in the bath, where it can be extremely difficult to carry the old person without additional physical strength.

Even the most responsible nurse cannot compare with dozens of employees of a private nursing home. A well-equipped boarding house for the elderly with a large area for walking and meeting with relatives is the best option for elderly people with progressive dementia.

Physiology

Psychological characteristics of old age are individual. But it is impossible to avoid physical aging. It is associated primarily with the appearance of weakness, which forces a person to change their lifestyle, give up their usual stress and type of activity. With the advent of old age, the functioning of internal organs also changes; chronic diseases make themselves felt more often.

Severe illness also weakens mental health in old age. In women, due to menopausal changes, characteristic signs often appear: tearfulness, a tendency to aggression and showdowns, and obvious irritability. They become very suspicious, sleep anxiously at night, and during the day they feel overwhelmed and cannot find the strength for everyday life and simple communication. It is important to promptly understand what is happening to the elderly person, suspect the progression of depression and consult a doctor.

Qualified care for elderly people with depression necessarily includes psychocorrection. With the help of special medications and proven techniques, it is possible to eliminate the main symptoms of the disease and improve mood. Treatment can last several months, after which there is a recovery period, during which the elderly person must be monitored by qualified specialists. It is this approach that will lead to rapid recovery and prevent relapses of depressive disorders in the future.

If you have atherosclerosis, you must follow a diet that will reduce cholesterol and prevent blockage of blood vessels in the future. It is recommended to almost completely avoid animal fats, including butter, fatty cheeses, sour cream and cream. The restriction also applies to eggs, which are allowed to be consumed only a few times a week.

Cardiovascular diseases, especially in the postoperative recovery period, can cause complications. Therefore, experts prohibit drinking strong tea and coffee, because caffeine causes vasospasm and excessively increases the activity of the heart muscle. Caffeine-containing drinks are contraindicated in the elderly, especially if the patient suffers from coronary artery disease and has recently undergone stenting. You cannot drink alcohol in any form.

Quality care for older adults includes a varied diet. The diet must include:

fresh fruits, vegetables;
greenery;
low-fat dairy products;
first meal;
meat (veal, chicken, rabbit and other dietary varieties);
sea and river fish of low-fat varieties;
rye bread, bran.

Particular attention is paid to products containing essential omega acids, which improve the prognosis of patients with atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries and cerebral vessels. Omega-3, omega-6 are included in seafood (shrimp, fish, shellfish), nuts, sunflower seeds, vegetable oils (olive, almond, coconut, flaxseed).

Smoking provokes vasospasm and increases the risk of developing dangerous cardiovascular diseases. Experts recommend that all older people give up cigarettes in favor of a healthy lifestyle, walking, cycling, and interesting meetings with old friends.

Psyche

Mental changes to one degree or another occur in all older people. The situation is aggravated by severe chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, obesity, arthrosis), traumatic brain injuries, and depression. Due to poor circulation, brain reactions slow down, nerve cells die, and the ability to remember information and adequately perceive the surrounding reality is lost.

Additional psychological characteristics of older people and possible changes in old age:

isolation;
suspicion;
sleep disorders;
mood instability;
refusal to communicate with relatives and neighbors;
inventing non-existent stories;
change in taste preferences.

If you notice such manifestations in your relative, be sure to convince him to undergo examination. At an early stage, with the help of psychocorrection, certain medications and properly organized care for older people, it is possible to slow down the development of senile dementia and avoid complications.

Aggressive behavior, combined with symptoms of Alzheimer's disease or other diseases characteristic of older people, requires competent correction, not condemnation. Changes in the psyche appear gradually, in waves, with preserved intelligence or with reduced brain activity. Sometimes they require additional medical care.

Aggressive behavior in old age is very dangerous, especially if there are signs of severe dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Such elderly people need round-the-clock supervision. Someone must be with them at all times to prevent bodily harm. In an excited state, an elderly person can leave home, end up in an unfamiliar city, get into a fight on the street and not even remember any information about himself. The ideal solution is to place an elderly person in a boarding house, where there is everything necessary for a safe and comfortable life, including regular medical care.

Age-related changes in the psyche must be perceived with understanding. Alas, this is a characteristic feature of old age, but we are able to control the course of the disease and maintain a decent quality of life for the elderly, who have done a lot not only for their family, but also for the country as a whole.

Society

Social old age today occurs much later than a century ago. Society is developing, new opportunities are emerging, including medical ones. This allows us to change attitudes towards older people. They are respected more, they are entrusted with responsible work, which has a positive effect on both their psycho-emotional and financial state.

Aging is natural for humans, and in old age you can live a dignified, interesting life and feel happy. In our boarding house, every elderly person gets the opportunity not only to relax, undergo treatment and prevention, but also to engage in their favorite hobbies, read, spend a sufficient amount of time in nature, communicate with friends and loved ones.