Garvan Institute's Guide to Positive Ageing
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Positive ageing A comprehensive guide brought to you by Garvan. PB 1 Contents Introduction 1 What is healthy ageing? 2 What happens to your body as it ages 4 Diseases of ageing 12 Healthy ageing – what you can do 14 Garvan & diseases of ageing 16 Medical Genome Reference Bank 24 We see a future where everyone lives longer, healthier lives. 1 Professor Chris Goodnow FAA FRS Executive Director, Garvan Institute of Medical Research The Bill and Patricia Ritchie Foundation Chair Dear Friend, I’m Professor Chris Goodnow, Executive Director of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, one of Australia’s premier research facilities. I wanted to introduce myself and thank you for requesting our brochure on positive ageing. As precision medicine and advances in healthcare enable people to live longer than ever before, the ability to live not only long, but healthy lives is becoming increasingly critical. We know that ageing healthily relies on a complex mix of genetic, environmental and social factors. However, there are actions that can be taken now to help ensure that older adults maintain their physical and emotional health, whatever their age or circumstances. We are focused on addressing the unmet needs of those living with disease – where better understanding, new treatments and more effective diagnosis can have the biggest impact in order to create a future where people can live longer, healthier lives. Yours sincerely, Chris We see a future where an individual’s DNA is used to better predict, diagnose and treat disease. It’s within reach. 1 What is healthy ageing? With age comes the increased risk of disease or infirmity. Some health conditions may be inevitable due to age, a genetic predisposition to illness, exposure to health risks (e.g. air pollution), access to quality health care or a combination of these factors. However, many health conditions and issues faced by older adults can, when well controlled, have little influence on overall wellbeing. Healthy ageing is about creating the To age healthily, it is necessary to environments and opportunities that learn to adapt to change as you pass enable people to be and do what they through landmark ages such as 60, 70, value throughout their lives. While coping 80, and beyond. It is important to find with change can be difficult, regardless new activities, hobbies and interests to of age, the particular challenge for older enjoy, stay physically and socially active, adults is the number of changes and maintain and bolster connections to transitions that begin to occur, and that loved ones and the wider community, can all affect the overall quality of life and adapt everyday routines including experienced by a person. These changes diet to better manage changes in health. can include children moving away, the While for many of us, ageing may bring loss of loved ones, the end of a career, about feelings of anxiety and fear, many declining health and sometimes even a of these fears often stem from popular loss of independence. misconceptions about getting old. It is possible to take active steps now to ensure, as much as possible, you can maintain your physical and emotional health and wellbeing. 2 3 We see a future where we’re able to stop disease before it starts. It’s within reach. 2 3 What happens to your body as it ages Your bones As you age, bones can become thinner exercises such as running or tennis and more brittle, often resulting in the and progressive resistance training into condition osteoporosis. Osteoporosis routines, it is possible to improve your occurs when the bones lose minerals bone strength to safeguard against such as calcium more quickly than the fractures. Schedule a checkup with your body can replace them, greatly increasing doctor if you are concerned about your the risk of a fracture. The potential for bone health - Garvan’s Bone Fracture an osteoporotic fracture increases Risk Calculator, a tool available to health exponentially for both women and men professionals can be used to estimate risk due to the progressive reduction of bone fracture, and an appropriate mitigation mass in elderly people, and the increased plan can be implemented. rate of falls. Other treatments can include calcium Approximately 50% of people with one and/or vitamin D supplements, eating osteoporotic fracture will have another adequate protein, hormone therapy – and each new fracture increases the (mainly for postmenopausal women), risk. Aside from the pain and disability selective oestrogen receptor modulators caused by fractures, some 20% of people that increase bone density while who have a hip fracture will die within decreasing fractures of the spine, and six months. Hip and vertebral fractures strontium ranelate (an osteoporosis increase the risk of premature death. medication) that also reduces fracture risk. Even after a person has been Managing your bone health diagnosed with osteoporosis, a healthy It is important to remember that fractures lifestyle and bone-protecting medication are not an inevitable part of ageing. By can halve their risk of suffering a incorporating regular weight bearing fragility fracture. Regular weight bearing exercises such as running or tennis can improve your bone strength to safeguard against fractures. 4 5 Your brain As you get older, certain parts of the Managing your brain health brain shrink, most notably the prefrontal You can promote cognitive health by cortex and hippocampus, both important including physical activity in your routine. to learning, memory, planning and other Physical activity increases blood flow to complex mental activities. After the age the entire body, including the brain with of 30, it is estimated that the brain begins studies suggesting regular exercise leads to lose neurons at a rate of 50,000 per to better brain function and reduces day. Because of this, it is common for stress and depression – factors that healthy older adults to forget familiar affect memory. A healthy diet is also names and words, or multitasking may critical to maintaining cognitive health. become more difficult. While dementia is not a normal consequence of old age, Incorporate fruits, vegetables, whole cells in the brain and nerves can be grains and low-fat protein sources such damaged by the formation of plaques as fish and lean meat, and reduce foods and tangles, abnormalities that could high in salt, saturated fat and sugar. It is eventually lead to dementia. also important to stay mentally active to help sustain memory and thinking skills. This can be done by reading, playing word games, taking up a new hobby or class, or learning to play an instrument. Stay mentally active to help sustain memory and thinking skills. This can be done by reading, playing word games. 4 5 Your heart & cardiovascular system As you age, the blood vessels and arteries Managing your heart health in the cardiovascular system stiffen over It is important to include physical activity time, causing your heart to work harder to such as walking or running in your routine pump blood through them. Because of the in order to maintain a healthy heart. increased workload, the walls of the heart Regular moderate exercise can help you may thicken as a result. Further, your maintain a healthy weight and lower your heart rate while resting will stay about the risk of heart disease. Regular exercise same, but it will no longer increase during should be combined with a healthy diet strenuous or physical activities as it once high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, did. These changes increase the risk of high-fibre foods and lean sources of high blood pressure (hypertension) and protein, while limiting foods high in other cardiovascular problems. saturated fat and salt. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask your doctor to help you quit. Smoking contributes to the hardening of your arteries and increases both blood pressure and heart rate. Getting enough sleep (aim for around seven to nine hours a night) is also important to maintaining a healthy heart as quality sleep plays an important role in the healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Regular moderate exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk of heart disease. 6 7 Your metabolism & digestive system Your body’s ability to burn calories (your It is important to maintain a healthy metabolism) changes over time. As you body weight as you age. Excess weight age, your metabolic rate generally slows contributes to a range of diseases such because the ageing process results in a as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. decrease in muscle mass and an increase Ensure that you are eating a healthy in the amount of fat stored. Research diet that includes high-fibre foods such suggests that your basal metabolic rate as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. decreases at one to two percent per Limit high-fat meats, dairy products and decade after the age of 20 and up to ten sweets, which might cause constipation. percent per decade after the age of 45. Also ensure that you are drinking plenty If you decrease activities as you age, but of water and other fluids and that you are continue to eat the same amount of food watching your portion sizes. Incorporating as usual, you will gain weight. Further, as regular physical activity in your routine you age, your large intestine can become consisting of moderate activity can also more firm and rigid, leading to issues assist you in maintain a healthy weight. such as constipation, stomach pain, and feelings of nausea. It is important to maintain a healthy body weight Managing your weight as you age. Excess weight contributes to a range of diseases.