The director of a Beijing hospital imparted five insights to the elderly: Many “ailments” are not maladies, but rather manifestations of natural aging.
- You are not ill, you are simply aging.
- Numerous “ailments” you perceive are not illnesses, but indicators of the body’s aging process.
- “Poor memory” is not Alzheimer’s disease, but a self-protection mechanism of the aging brain. Do not hasten to alarm yourself. This is the brain aging, not an illness. If you merely forget where you’ve placed your keys but can eventually find them, it is not dementia.
- “Walking slowly and having unsteady legs and feet” is not paralysis, but muscle degeneration. The remedy is not medication, but movement.
- “Insomnia” is not insomnia, but the brain adjusting its rhythm. This is not an illness, but a change in “sleep structure”. The most effective “sleeping pill” for the elderly is to bask in more sunlight during the day and adhere to a regular schedule.
- “Body aches” are not rheumatism, but a normal response to nerve aging. Many elderly individuals express: “My arms and legs ache all over. Is it rheumatism or bone hyperplasia?” Bones do become loose and thin, yet 99% of “body pain” is not an illness, but a consequence of slow nerve conduction, which amplifies the pain. This is termed “central sensitization”, a common physiological change in the elderly. Analgesics are not the solution. Exercise and physical therapy are the corrective measures. You might suggest “foot baths + hot compresses before bed + gentle massage”, which are far more effective than medication.
- “Abnormal physical examination” is not an illness, but the index standards have not been updated. The World Health Organization advises that the physical examination indicators for the elderly should be “relaxed”. The same applies to cholesterol. The elderly may have slightly elevated cholesterol levels, yet they tend to live longer. Cholesterol is the precursor for synthesizing hormones and cell membranes; excessively low levels can easily compromise immunity. The “Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension in China” also clearly state that the blood pressure target for the elderly is <150/90 mmHg, not the youthful standard of <140/90. Do not equate “aging” with “illness” and do not mistake “change” for “lesion”.
Aging is not a disease, but a necessary journey. A few words to the elderly and their children:
First, remember: not all discomfort signifies a disease.
Second, the elderly dread being “frightened”. Do not be alarmed by the physical examination report or deceived by advertisements.
Third, the paramount concern for children is not to escort their parents to the hospital, but to accompany them for walks, sunbathing, dining, and conversing. Aging is not the adversary, but misconception is.
