Healthy Aging

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Americans are living longer than ever before. Many seniors are living active, healthy, and productive lives. A woman who is 65 today can expect to live, on average, another 19 years to age 84. Many women use this extra time to volunteer, travel, and spend more time with family and friends. Taking good care of your body and mind will help you enjoy this time. This can also help you better manage health issues that are more common in older adults and the unique challenges older women face.

Key issues for older women include:

• Health issues older women face include heart disease, cancer, stroke, and injuries from falls. Heart disease is a serious concern for older women. Many people think that heart disease mostly affects men. But actually, it's the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S. Women of any age can have heart disease. But your risk rises sharply after menopause.

• The medical community has been studying older women's health issues in recent years. More older women are taking part in research studies such as the Women's Health Initiative. This study included over 150,000 postmenopausal women. This research has helped health care providers learn a lot about issues like menopause, osteoporosis, and heart disease. More research has also been done on the prevention of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer.

• Older women have higher disability rates than men of the same age. This is not because more women develop disabilities, but because women with disabilities survive longer than men. Taking good care of yourself can lower your chances of becoming disabled. That means staying active, healthy eating, controlling stress, and seeing your doctor regularly.

• More women are in the workforce than ever before. Yet, women often spend less time in the workforce. This is because many have taken time off to raise children or care for loved ones. Also, women often make less money than men. As a result, women tend to be at higher risk of poverty than men of the same age. Planning for your future can ensure you have what you need when you retire.

• Additional health disparities exist for older minority women. These women have many of the same health problems as older white women. Yet, they are often in poorer health and use fewer health services. They continue to suffer more from early death, disease, and disabilities. Many also face huge social and financial barriers to having life-long good health.

It is important to educate yourself about common health problems and the services available to you. This can help you overcome roadblocks you may run into. Also, leading an active and healthy lifestyle can help you reduce health risks and live life to the fullest. Read on for tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your golden years.

Content last updated March 5, 2009.