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Older People

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Fact File

COPD

Health: Library - 12 August 2008
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is the medical term for chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It's common, but often undiagnosed.

Tags: respiratory-diseases, older-people, smoking

Fact File

Erectile dysfunction

Health: Library - 14 February 2008
Erectile dysfunction, or impotence, is common, especially in older men. But there are treatments that work.

Tags: mens-health, older-people, sexual-health, relationships

Fact File

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Health: Library - 23 October 2006
Hypertension or high blood pressure affects almost three million Australians over the age of 25 and can cause serious and irreversible damage. Yet, sufferers can be completely unaware they have a problem. Fortunately, treatment is usually simple and effective.

Tags: hypertension, older-people

Fact File

Macular degeneration

Health: Library - 29 September 2006
Macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness in Australia (and the western world), but early treatment can limit the damage for many people.

Tags: eyes, older-people

Fact File

Reflux

Health: Library - 25 September 2006
Reflux is the regurgitation of acid stomach contents back into the oesophagus, and is the cause of heartburn - that unpleasant, burning feeling that wells up from the pit of the stomach, and travels up your chest and into your throat after a rich or fatty meal.

Tags: reflux-heartburn, older-people, stomach-and-digestion

Fact File

Alzheimer's disease

Health: Library - 25 May 2006
Alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia that is more common in older people. A person with dementia experiences memory loss, confusion, and personality and behaviour change.

Tags: alzheimers-and-dementia, older-people

Fact File

Osteoarthritis

Health: Library - 16 March 2006
Osteoarthritis is the deterioration of the joints that becomes more common with age. The knees and hands are most often affected, with pain and stiffness ranging from mild to severe.

Tags: arthritis, older-people

Fact File

Ageing

Health: Library - 07 April 2005
The idea of an elixir of youth has fascinated humans throughout history. The unglamorous reality is that our bodies have inbuilt obsolescence. Will the science of anti-ageing ever deliver an extended lifespan? Or is staying healthy in old age a lot simpler than that?

Tags: aged-care, older-people

Fact File

Osteoporosis

Health: Library - 29 April 2004
Osteoporosis leaves bones brittle and prone to fracture. Many thousands of sufferers are completely unaware they have the condition, which costs the country close to $7 billion a year.

Tags: osteoporosis, older-people, womens-health

Fact File

Heart disease

Health: Library - 27 February 2003
What is heart disease, how is it treated and how can you prevent it?

Tags: heart-disease, older-people

Fact File

Diabetes

Health: Library - 19 December 2002
Diabetes occurs when something interferes with the action of the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar levels. In Type 1 diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin. In Type 2, it doesn't work properly.

Tags: diet-and-nutrition, diabetes, older-people

Fact File

Parkinson's disease

Health: Library - 22 August 2002
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative neurological condition. The main symptoms are abnormalities of movement, such as tremor and muscular rigidity.

Tags: parkinsons-disease, older-people

Fact File

Stroke

Health: Library - 22 August 2002
A stroke occurs when an artery in or near the brain is either blocked - cutting blood supply to brain tissue - or bursts, causing a bleed.

Tags: stroke, older-people, brain-and-nervous-system

Flu shots for the elderly

Health Minutes - 22 September 2008
A study has questioned whether the flu vaccine for the elderly is as beneficial as we think.

Tags: influenza, older-people, vaccines-and-immunity, health-policy

Sex in your seventies

Health Minutes - 22 September 2008
A Swedish study found 70-year-olds are bonking more than ever, and enjoying it more.

Tags: older-people, sexual-health, relationships

A stab in the back

Health: Your Stories - 16 September 2008
A dodgy lower back turned Mike Jones into an unlikely convert to Pilates.

Tags: exercise-and-fitness, mens-health, older-people, back-pain

Golf: a game of life and death

Health: The Pulse - 04 September 2008
Playing golf can add five years to your life, say Swedish researchers. It's not so much how you swing the club, but how much walking you do.

Tags: exercise-and-fitness, older-people, sports-injuries

High blood pressure in the bush

Health: The Pulse - 07 August 2008
People in rural Australia are more likely to have hypertension, and less likely to be treated for it, than their city counterparts.

Tags: hypertension, doctors-and-medical-professionals, older-people, rural

Coping with chronic disease

Health: The Pulse - 31 July 2008
Half of all Australians over 65 have a chronic illness. What makes some succumb to despair, and others adjust and even improve their lives?

Tags: arthritis, heart-disease, older-people, self-help

Stronger musles, longer life

Health Minutes - 21 July 2008
Being strong might predict a longer life. Muscle strength seems to protect against cancer and all combined causes of death, say researchers.

Tags: exercise-and-fitness, cancer, heart-disease, older-people

Can stress turn your hair grey overnight?

Health: Talking Health - 09 July 2008
Are you going grey fast? Does stress make a difference?

Tags: older-people, stress, hair

Weight training: the elixir of youth

Health Minutes - 07 July 2008
Scientists have discovered that weight training is an anti-ageing treatment - it can rejuvenate old and damaged muscle tissue.

Tags: exercise-and-fitness, older-people

Do glasses weaken your eyes?

Health: Healthy Living - 01 July 2008
The popular belief that glasses weaken your eyes is a myth.

Tags: eyes, older-people

Joining the 100 club

Health: The Pulse - 19 June 2008
Forget the baby boom, the fastest growing age segment in Australia's population is those aged 100 and over. How can you make it - and in good health?

Tags: aged-care, exercise-and-fitness, diet-and-nutrition, older-people

Midlife brain crisis? No way!

Health: Healthy Living - 17 June 2008
It's not all downhill in the brain department as you age. Some things actually improve!

Tags: older-people, brain-and-nervous-system

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