Chronic diseases can have a profound impact on the health and quality of life of Baltimore seniors, not to mention the financial burden that is often associated with long-term illness.
But specialists in gerontology and the emerging field of anti-aging medicine are quick to point out that while the risk of disease and disability undoubtedly can increase with advancing years, poor health is not an inevitable consequence of aging.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) a lot of the sickness, disability, and even death associated with chronic disease can be avoided through preventive measures.
The CDC suggests lessening the possibility of the onset of chronic disease in later years by:
- Practicing a healthy lifestyle that includes healthy eating, regular exercise and avoiding tobacco use.
- Regular use of early detection and testing such as breast, prostate and cervical cancer screenings, diabetes and cholesterol screenings, and bone density scans.