Healthy Aging: Tips to Prevent Geriatric Syndromes

Preventing Geriatric Syndromes: Tips for Healthy Aging

Geriatric syndromes represent those clinical conditions in an older adult that technically do not fit into any disease categories. These are a group of diseases that involve multiple unrelated effects, which makes an older adult vulnerable to situational challenges. 

In this blog, we will understand more about geriatric challenges and how to fix them for a better quality of life for adults. 

What Age is Considered Geriatric?

In medical terms, a person over the age of 65 is considered geriatric from a chronological perspective. This definition is not accurate as, in addition to a person's chronological age, several factors need to be considered. Such considerations are only to be decided by a professional expert after assessing all the symptoms they deem necessary. 

Thus, there is no specific and accurate answer for what is geriatric age in a practical sense. Whenever a person is feeling a decline in their functional capabilities, like a sudden loss of mobility in elderly, they are considered geriatric. However, in some cases, if the patient is below the age of 65 years but has lost functional capabilities, they can still be considered for geriatric treatment. 

5 Common Types of Geriatric Syndrome in Older Adults 

There are several types of geriatric syndromes which are commonly seen in most adults. Here, we will only discuss the seven most common types of syndrome that are usually found in older people: 

Falls 
Older patients are typically more prone to loss of bone strength and bone cell disruptions. This ultimately equates to sudden loss of mobility in elderly patients and requires critical and professional monitoring. 
As per NCBI research data, 33% of the patients who are older than 65 years of age are prone to falls. 

Delirium 
Delirium is a psychological state where a person faces or goes through serious changes in their mental abilities. The patients are less aware of their surroundings and are traced due to several factors. Delirium is also among the common geriatric problems, which might be due to low Sodium or certain medications. 

Urinary Incontinence 
Urinary continence simply means that a person urinates by accident due to an overactive bladder. In older adults, this is considered one of the most common geriatric problems due to external causes, such as infections. 
In most cases, urinary continence might lead to public shaming that also instigates additional depression or isolation issues in older adults, irrespective of their gender. 

Sleep Problems 
Sleep problems are one of the most common types of geriatric disease in older adults. As per Medline, a 70-year-old patient might wake up several times in the night without being affected by sleep-related diseases. 

Frailty 
Frailty is itself not a disease; rather, it is an outcome of an older person's body due to existing physical or psychological conditions. 
Thus, clinical frailty is an ageing-associated disorder due to a decline in the physical and mental strength of a person. It is one of the common geriatric syndromes recognisable in an adult. 

Common Geriatric Symptoms

As discussed above, multiple types of syndromes might be alone or collectively indicate the need for geriatric treatment. However, not all the types mentioned above have similar symptoms. Here, we will discuss some common symptoms that one faces due to the above syndromes. 

Falls 

Common geriatric problems that lead to falls or major injuries in adults are as follows:

1.Impairment of balance
2.Reduced muscle strength
3.Sensory information processing delays
4.Polypharmacy (Taking more than 4 medications)
5.Gait difficulty
6.Depression, etc. 

If you see any adult suffering from the following conditions, it is better to contact a geriatric expert. Treating them before a sudden loss of mobility in older people will help them return to a normal life. 

Delirium

The symptoms of delirium, one of the common geriatric syndromes that a person might face:

1.Confusion
2.Disorganised thinking 
3.Disrupted sleeping patterns 
4.Hallucinations and delusions 
5.Trouble during concentration
6.Emotional changes, including agitation or depression. 

If you find such an unusual geriatric disorder, then we advise you to seek help from a professional. 

Urinary Incontinence

As the name suggests, this is a simple disease where a patient passes urine accidentally. However, associated symptoms that can lead to such frequent and uncontrolled urination are: 

1.Presence of conditions like Diabetes 
2.Urine leakage 
3.Frequent urination
4.Incomplete bladder emptying
5.The urine stream is weak
6.Bedwetting 

Contact your healthcare provider today if you are seeing any such geriatric conditions. 

Sleep Problems 

Sleep problems as a geriatric disease commonly present the following symptoms in adults, they are: 

1.Difficulty in falling asleep
2.The problem in recognising day or night in adults 
3.Early morning awakening
4.Waking up during the night (nocturia), etc. 

Improper sleep also adds to problems in cognition and the ability to stay active, leading to impaired mobility. 

Frailty 

Frailty is one of the common and related geriatric syndrome, which shows these symptoms:

1.Weight loss
2.Fatigue 
3.Loss of strength 
4.Slow walking speed
5.Low levels of activity or movement

If you are feeling or observing someone becoming frail, contact a Geriatric Paediatrician today!

Causes of Geriatric Symptoms 

The aetiology of geriatric syndromes is multifactorial; however, as per NCBI, 4 common risk factors have been identified. These risk factors are: 

Old age 
Cognitive Impairment 
Mobility Impairment 

These findings indicate a multi-system complication in the adult human body, which includes:

Inflammation
Sarcopenia 
Atherosclerosis 
Multi-system dysregulation

Therefore, it is not a disease that happens on its own; it arises due to age-related complications that humans face. Other research publications indicate not only four but some additional reasons for such complications in adults. These symptoms include: 

Dysphagia (A common problem in older adults that makes bolus or food hard to swallow).
Irrelevant polypharmacy measures (indicate taking more than 4 medications with risks outweighing benefits).
Diabetes (a common disorder in older adults and known to exacerbate falls, sensory impairment, urination needs, and cognitive impairment).

To find a treatment, always try to contact an experienced geriatrician or a paediatrician and make a difference. 

Diagnosis of Geriatric Syndrome 

Diagnosis of geriatric disease can be done using a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment or CGA. This is an evidence-based way for patients to diagnose geriatric disorders in older adults. To get an assessment of the geriatric syndrome, you can visit this link and take a test to find it. Usually, a patient goes through the following steps to confirm geriatric disorder:

1.Medical Record Review 
2.Physical Examination
3.Functional Mobility Checks
4.Memory Checks

Upon visiting a clinic, the experts may also perform additional tests to identify if you have geriatric problems. 

Treatment and Management: 5 Tips for Healthy Ageing

Healthy behaviour can significantly improve the lifestyle of older adults. Here, we will discuss some of the key tips that promote healthy living in older adults: 

Prevent Social Isolation
Social isolation is one of the main causes of cognitive impairment, a crucial sign of geriatric disorders. Encourage your family members to go out or schedule a call with them bi-weekly to prevent loneliness. 
Promote Physical Activity
Physical activity helps improve balance; as you get older, physical activity should not diminish. Lack of physical activity means more hospitalisations due to mobility impairment or related disorders. Contact a geriatrician to avoid sudden loss of mobility in older people and work towards a healthy lifestyle. 
Encourage Healthy Diet
A balanced diet is one of the crucial eating habits that one must develop for healthy ageing. Try out foods that are rich in protein, vitamins, and other macronutrients in the right amount. Do not encourage them to have junk foods which do not have higher nutrient levels but encourage bloating. 
Schedule Regular Checkups 
There are many complications that a person might develop as they grow old. Regular checkups and healthcare with proper medications improve the lifestyle of a person. It also removes the common geriatric conditions that arise out of polypharmacy in adults. 
Engage Your Brain in Fun Activities
As per research, an active brain delays a decline in memory, which might lead to dementia. Read books, play memory games, learn a new skill, and train your mind. Such efforts are known to reduce geriatric problems in adults. 
Apart from all these, it is essential to note that keeping yourself active and fit plays a major role in reducing the risks of geriatric conditions.

Final Words 

While geriatric syndromes are common in people above a certain age limit, they can be managed effectively. Ageing is something that no one can avoid, but choosing healthy practices is easy. Focus on early diagnosis of the symptoms mentioned above using the expertise of expert practitioners. Take the preventive steps or other recommendations of these practitioners to improve the quality of life.