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As physical and cognitive abilities decline, there is an increasing need to exercise the body and mind. Now is the time to prepare for end-of-life care, but staying active will add years to your life.
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Fitness: Without exercise, a 75-year-old has about half the muscle and double the body-fat as he or she did as a young adult. After age 74, 28 percent of men can't lift 10 pounds and 66 percent of women can't.
Weight: The weight-gain tide finally turns. After packing on pounds through middle age, people begin to see their weight decline in their 70s. That's partly because favorite foods begin to taste bland. By 70, people have lost two-thirds of the taste buds they had at 30. Depending on activity levels, a 70-year-old may require about 300 fewer calories per day than he or she did as a young adult. This means their diet no longer has room for empty calories.
Heart health: After 75, the No. 1 cause of death in Washington is heart disease.
Vision: Ninety-five percent of people in their 70s wear contacts or eyeglasses.
Mind: The cognitive decline that begins in the 50s usually doesn't become apparent until the 70s.
Lungs: By 70, maximum breathing capacity may be40 percent less than it was at 20. This leaves older people quicker to lose their breath during exercise.
Joints: In Washington, people ages 75 to 84 are hardest hit by arthritis, with more than 75 percent of women and about 45 percent of men affected.
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More accidents: People 70 and over make up approximately 9 percent of the total U.S. population but account for close to 14 percent of all traffic fatalities and about 18 percent of all pedestrian deaths annually.
Nursing homes: The percentage of Washington residents in nursing homes rises dramatically among people over 70. More than 5 percent of the population 70 and up - 16,677 residents - live in state nursing homes. Less than 1 percent of those 60-69 and 50-59 lives in nursing homes.
Life expectancy: A boy born in Washington in 2001 has a life expectancy of 76.2 years.
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Super seventies: Nearly 70 percent of Washington's 75-plus population rate their health as good to excellent.
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With the number of Americans afflicted with Alzheimer's disease projected to triple to nearly 14 million by 2050, research on the devastating brain disorder is taking on new urgency.
Scores of experiments are being launched that might yield better diagnosis, prevention and treatment in five to 10 years.
Drug companies are racing to develop a vaccine that would use antibodies to destroy the plaque deposits that riddle the brains of Alzheimer's victims. They're also working on drugs to block plaque formation. Trials are under way to see if cholesterol-lowering statin drugs can slow the progression of Alzheimer's. Preliminary studies found 70 percent fewer cases among people with high cholesterol who took the drugs.
Other trials are exploring the protective effects of the dietary supplement folate and vitamins B6 and B12, which reduce levels of homocystine, an amino acid that increases the risk of heart disease - and perhaps Alzheimer's.
A three-year study to start next year will use frequent brain scans, cognitive tests and blood analyses to compare normal elderly people to people with early Alzheimer's and people with mild cognitive impairment, which often progresses to dementia. Researchers hope to map the earliest signs of the disease and its progression.
- Sandi Doughton, Seattle Times staff
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'I see a lot of old people around,
but I'm not one of them.' |
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Photographed on Oct. 10, 2003 by Harley Soltes,
Seattle Times staff |
Don and Ila Pound, both 74
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Residence: Edmonds
Occupation: semi-retired. Don, a former hospital administrator, works part time at H&R Block. Ila, an ex-nurse, is looking for part-time work.
Personal: married 50 years, with three children and four grandchildren.
Don and Ila were born, grew up and raised their own children in Flint, Mich. After their kids moved out of the house, they quit their jobs and moved west. They settled in Edmonds but haven't settled down; they're too busy hiking, snowshoeing and camping out of their Volkswagen van.
Golden anniversary: Born in the same hospital two months apart, Don and Ila met there more than two decades later, when she was head nurse and he was working as an orderly. Countless adventures later, the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in December. "I don't feel like I've been married to the same woman for 50 years," Don says. "I feel like I've been married to five different women. She's changed over the years, so have I, and we keep getting reacquainted."
Staying strong: The Pounds have just one prescription drug in the house: for Don's blood pressure (he says it's unnecessary). The couple attribute their good health to their love of outdoor activities and to their shared motto: "Never slow down." When arthritis pain forced Ila to get an artificial hip, she reluctantly gave up cross-country skiing - but replaced it with snowshoeing. In the summer, they head to Idaho or California to camp. Don loves to hike in the mountains; Ila's favorite pastime is walking along the Edmonds waterfront.
Growing old gracefully: Phooey on acting your age, says Ila. The key to staying young is acting young, and that means trying new things. "We're not stuck in our ways," she says. In September, they took their first kayaking trip - a leisurely float that turned harrowing. Ila hoots recounting how they missed their stop and rapids bounced them down the Snake River for miles.
Age is a state of mind: "When someone mentions how old I am, I am always surprised. How did I get to be 74? But then I get to feeling pleased - and a little smug even - that we are 74 years old and still having a lot of fun," Ila says. "We are right where we want to be right now - we've had our children and responsibilities, now we feel more free."
- Julia Sommerfeld, Seattle Times staff
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Test for hearing problems: Hearing loss, common by this age, can cause people to feel isolated and depressed. Left uncorrected, it can even hasten the onset of dementia. Most hearing loss can be managed with hearing aids. The biggest hurdle is usually getting people to admit their hearing loss and get treatment.
Exercise your mind: People who read, play board games, do crossword puzzles and play musical instruments in their 70s have a lower risk of developing dementia. Physical exercise also helps. Women who walk during their 60s are significantly less likely to show mental decline in their 70s.
Prepare for end-of-life care: It's difficult to predict when health problems might leave you unable to make decisions about yourself. Take steps early to clarify your wishes about life-sustaining medical treatment. This can be done by completing an advance directive such as a living will. Find out more about this process through your health plan, lawyer or senior-rights groups.
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