Guide to Better Health and Well-Being After Fifty

Contents: Preface. Introduction: the seniors are not the children of lesser God? 1. Stop ageing now: maintain health, grow gracefully. 2. A host of chronic ailments come naturally in old age: how to comfort them? 3. Bones and joints: how to keep them strong and moving. 4. Keep your brain and nerves intact: eat thoughtfully, exercise properly. 5. Kidney and urinary tract: problems and prevention. 6. Mothers’ health: care and concern are the keys for middle aged and old women. 7. The disabled: differently able, not all old people are handicapped. 8. Frequently asked questions (FAQ). Appendices. Index.

"The focus of this book is development of better health and its maintenance and to take preventive measures against disease for all above fifty, senior citizens and other disadvantaged sections of society viz. women, disabled, chronically ill, etc. With the fast graying of the Indian population and rapid increase of the persons above 50 in the work force of the nation, it has become imperative to take care of the health and well-being of this section of society. The old approach of medical interventions and medicine administration, after the person had fallen sick, is unlikely to help in this rapidly changing scenario. State-of-art hospitals are coming up in public as well as private sectors, but the number of indoor beds and OPD facilities are proving inadequate, with never ending queues of patients all round. The cost of treatment is simply prohibitive. Problems have got magnified due to increased longevity and consequent spurt in aged population and age-related diseases. Most of the ailments during old age are not inevitable. With healthy life style most of the ailments, at all ages, can be prevented or made more bearable. The old saying "A stitch in time saves nine’ is very appropriate here. In this document our concern is for the high profile executives, ambitious professionals, affluent businessmen and others obsessed with eating of rich foods and comfort of limbs and equally for the ordinary citizen who is struggling to make his both ends meet. Our message to this largest group is simple : ’do not feel condemned, do not give up, depend more your own feet than your vehicles and more on your own hands than your children.’ APNE HAATH JAGAN-NATH is an appropriate approach. Do not depend too much on others and do not be labelled as complainer. Live the life to the full and with full gusto. Most of the health conditions which reduce your quality of life or productivity or that cut short the thread of life can be prevented. It is a comprehensive guide for the elderly and their caregivers to deal their physical and psychological problems in a positive manner. The book will be immensely useful for doctors as well." (jacket)