Memory impairment is a common problem of the elderly. Usually, elderly people have problem remembering the names of people, places and things. Such people will also have difficulty in describing what they want to say. This is in no way serious. Memory loss rarely progress to intellectual deterioration.
Old people that suffers from memory impairment usually have problem remembering recent events but they are able to remember distance past events vividly. For example, they will forget to retrieve something that they put in a location before they find out it is missing. The patient always asks the doctor for medication to improve their memory. Other neurologic signs that occur as we age include vision and hearing loss and the dulling the senses of smell and taste.
Elderly individuals usually have a reduction in their muscles. Muscle loss in the elderly is most prominent on the shoulder girdle, buttocks, temples, necks, hands, and feet may also become smaller. Muscle loss on the face can be detected by bones that stick out from the face. Muscle strength tends to diminish slowly but reflexes will diminish considerably in both degree and swiftness.
People that are advanced in age may also experience a minor tremor in their hands, head, lips or voice. Tremors can be sign of another disease such as the Parkinson’s disease.
Postural changes in the elderly include hunching of the body and head. The muscular movements in normal elderly individual will become stiffer and slower.
In rare cases, the mild forgetfulness will proceed to dementia. Dementia includes disorders in thinking, confusion, poor judgment, careless food hygiene and strange emotional expression. Dementia often progresses slowly and may be difficult for family members. There is no drug or other treatment that proved successful in curing dementia. Dementia can be caused by various medical conditions, severe depression, or over dosage of tranquilizing drugs. Dementia should always receive medical attention if treatment can be helpful.
Stroke is the disorder of the brain’s blood supply. Stroke accounts for a larger percentage of disabilities in people that are well advanced in age. The nervous system functions through the nerve cells called neurons. Axon is responsible of connecting the neurons with other nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. An adequate supply of oxygen is critical in order for the neuron to carry out its task. If the oxygen in the blood drops below the critical level, the tissue will be damaged. A person that suffers from damaged cortical neurons can only perform simple reflex activity such as breathing, and chewing but they will not be able to speak, recognize, recall or think. If oxygen deprivation last for less than 3 minutes, the person usually can be fully recovered to normal health. However, if the oxygen deprivation last longer than that, this could result in permanent brain damage or possibly a human vegetable. The person may breathe normally but they are unable to respond to the outside world. With good nursing and care and control of infection and showing your concern by talking to the person every day, the patient may survive for many years and might possibly recover.
Parkinson’s disease usually occurs in individuals that are over the age of 50. Victims of Parkinson’s disease may experience initial symptoms such as a tremor in the limb when at rest, slowness of movement and muscles stiffness. The cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown. Treatment of Parkinson’s disease involves drugs such as Artane, Congentin, and others. The side effects of these drugs include dryness of the mouth, blurred vision and constipation. Drug treatment is combined with physical activity such as jogging, swimming and bicycling.