ELDERLY MUST LEARN TO DETECT ILLNESSES

By 2020, nearly 10 per cent of the population will be 60 years old and above.

Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society President, Associate Professor Nathan Vytialingam said the nation faced a huge challenge in handling the implications of an ageing population, which include demands on the public healthcare system and services for the aged.

"Chronic diseases will pose a heavy health and economic burden on older adults due to diminished quality of life. It would also increase healthcare costs."

The risk of disease and disability came with advancing age, he said, and there was a need to educate the elderly on how to detect, prevent and treat age-related illnesses.

Many of these could be prevented through leading a healthy lifestyle with regular physical activity and a balanced diet.

"They must go for regular medical screenings to catch any illness at the earliest stage so they can be treated," he told the New Straits Times.

As people age, they must be made aware of chronic diseases and conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, depression, psychiatric disorders, osteoporosis, Parkinson's disease and incontinence, he said.

"It is important they know how to prevent or delay their onset."

He said that at the same time the aged were educated about age-related illnesses, caregivers must be taught how to look after them.

Source: New Straits Times, September 8, 2009 - www.nst.com.my

(From The Malaysia's National Alzheimer's Caregivers Online Network - NACON)