Aging is about change Of course we have all been changing, and aging, from the moment we were born. Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. There are many myths about growing older. In this section of the website, we strive to debunk the misconceptions and speak candidly about the most common changes of our later years.
Age is fluid
Line up a group of people 65 and older and you will see remarkable variation. Have them stand in chronological order and you may be surprised that some in the higher years appear to have more vigor than some in the younger years. This is not for passing judgment. It’s simply to acknowledge that we don’t all age at the same rate.
Below is information about the normal process of physical aging. And—especially for those who are not yet experiencing them—insights concerning how those changes impact our lives on a daily basis and in the larger overview.
The normal changes of aging, and the necessary daily lifestyle adjustments, are most readily seen when looking at the five senses. Vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell are how we perceive our environment. They greatly impact our understanding, and often, our joy in the world. These normal changes create some risks and result in the need to do things differently, to adapt.
Vision As many as 30% of persons 75 or older have experienced at least some vision loss. This is due, in great part, to Presbyopia, literally “old sight.” Presbyopia begins in middle-age and is caused by the lens of the eye becoming less flexible. The normal changes of aging result in
Difficulty seeing up close. Glasses or contacts can usually remedy this.
Need for more light. We just don’t have the receptors we used to.
Reduced ability to judge distance. This can have serious consequences for driving as we have trouble judging the speed of on-coming cars, creating challenges when making a left hand turn or entering the freeway.
Problems with glare. Adjusting to light and dark takes much longer. This makes driving at night difficult, and dangerous. As a result, we tend to stay home in the evenings and are unable to go out easily to nighttime events.
Two-out-of-three legally blind individuals are people over 65 who lost their site due to age-related diseases. The most common diseases include glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.
Hearing Nearly one quarter of persons 65 – 74 and half of those 75 and older have a disabling hearing loss. It’s not a matter only of volume, but also being unable to hear words clearly. Loss of hearing has deep consequences.
Injury. Not hearing can lead to greater chance of injury, particularly with cars as we may not hear one approaching.
Social isolation. Difficulty hearing tends to cause people to withdraw socially. We lose our relationships when we lose our hearing!
While technology aids are improving, they tend to amplify all noises, so are less than ideal. Only 25% of persons with hearing loss use hearing aids.
Other hearing impairments include tinnitus, a generally constant ringing, buzzing or swishing noise in the ears.
Although the impact of hearing impairment is profound, it is frequently overlooked as a disability.
Touch The sense of touch involves not only the skin but also our nerves and brain. As we age, we become less aware of pain, temperature, pressure, vibration and the position of our body. Reduced sensitivity can lead to:
Burns. We may not feel something as too hot. It’s important to set the temperature of the water heater to no higher than 120° to avoid burns.
Hypothermia or frostbite. We can’t rely on our bodies to judge the temperature outside. Check an outdoor thermometer when it’s cold and dressed based on the numbers.
Infection. By not feeling pain as acutely, we can have a sore or infection developing and not know it. It’s important to check the skin regularly for injuries, especially the feet.
Taste Eating is one of life’s pleasures. However, the taste buds lose their sensitivity with age, and the tongue has fewer of them. Some of the pitfalls include:
Over salting, or sweetening foods. As a result, older adults are often tempted to put more salt or sugar on their food than they did in their younger years. This can lead to problems for those on special diets.
Malnutrition. When food becomes less tasty, it can also become unappealing, leading to weight loss and poor nutrition.
Fortunately, taste is rarely lost completely, and texture—crunchy or chewy foods—can be emphasized for variety.
Smell The ability to perceive odors declines with age, especially after age 70. While outwardly, this might seem to have some benefits, there are definite disadvantages:
Reduced pleasure in eating. for those who relate smells to the joy of food, it can reduce the pleasure of eating.
Potential to get sick from spoiled foods. A weak “sniffer” can also cause problems in that it’s more difficult to tell if food has gone bad.
Greater likelihood of injury. It’s harder to smell smoke in the case of a fire. Or a gas leak. It’s important to be sure that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries and are tested regularly.
There is no one explanation of aging. More than 300 theories exist to explain physical decline. Some relate to environmental factors (exposure to air pollution, or things that we do, like drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco). About 25 percent of aging can be attributed to cellular changes that are more genetic in nature.
On the cellular level, the simplest explanation is that aging occurs as components in our cells wear out over time. This process begins in our twenties.
The cells in our body are constantly being replaced. Over the years, those cells don’t reproduce as accurately or as quickly as they did before. Our cellular repair systems don’t cull out dead or misfiring cells as effectively. Bodily processes become less efficient. Healing takes longer. Everything slows down.
Whether it’s a blood cell, a bone cell, a nerve cell, a digestive cell, a muscle cell, etc., all cells and systems are affected. Our immune system becomes weaker, and we are unable to fight disease as effectively. Our digestive system doesn’t extract nutrients as well as it used to. You get the picture.
And this doesn’t count the cellular impact of our lifestyle choices or environmental exposures.
Such changes are not noticeable in younger people. But as the years accumulate, so do those little changes. The inefficiencies become more obvious. And they have consequences.
The changes in the five senses—smell, sight, hearing, taste, and touch—for instance, are part of the normal process of aging. The cellular errors of aging, however, can also open doorways for mutations (cancer), infections, or other chronic conditions.
Women’s medical risks are different from men’s. Certainly for women and men both, any change that brings about pain, bleeding, fever, nausea, diarrhea or dizziness should signal the need to see a doctor. Also, an unintended loss in weight, or problems with general tasks of daily life that were easy before (driving, preparing meals, light housekeeping, paying bills, dressing, bathing, eating, toileting). These can indicate a medical problem worth investigating.
Early detection Many conditions develop without any outward signs. High blood pressure or cholesterol, for instance, do not have physical symptoms, but they can cause big problems if they go undetected. Fortunately, a good number of the diseases that develop in older adults can be prevented, cured, or at least managed well, if they are caught early.
Screening Guidelines
Below are the guidelines set out by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for regular screening exams for women 65 or older.
Blood pressure
Have your blood pressure checked every year.
Â
 Breast cancer
If you notice a change in your breasts, contact your doctor right away.
Once every 1-2 years up to age 70: Get a mammogram. Talk with your doctor if you are over 70 years old.
 Â
Cholesterol and heart disease
Every 5 years: Have your cholesterol level checked (a fasting blood test).
Have it checked more often if you have diabetes, heart disease, or kidney problems: ask your doctor.
Â
Colon Cancer
You should be screened for colorectal cancer until age 75. There are several screening tests available. Some common tests include:
Every year: a fecal occult blood test.
Every 5 years: a flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Every 10 years: a colonoscopy, unless you have risk factors for colon cancer. Ask your doctor about recommended frequency.
Â
Dental exams
Once or twice every year for an exam and cleaning.
Â
Diabetes
Every 3 years: Screening for diabetes.
More often if you are overweight and have other risk factors for diabetes: ask your doctor.
Â
Eye exams
Every 1-2 years: Have an eye exam.
At least every year if you have diabetes.
Â
General physical exam
Yearly: Get a physical exam with your doctor. Medicare will pay for this.
Hearing tests
If you have symptoms of hearing loss, have your ears tested.
Immunizations
Once: Get a pneumococcal vaccine if you have never had one, or if you received one more than 5 years before you turned 65.
Every year: Get a flu shot.
Every 10 years: Get a tetanus-diphtheria booster.
Once after age 60: You may get a shingles or herpes zoster vaccination.
Â
Lung Cancer
Once a year if you have a 30 pack-year smoking history AND you currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years: Get a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) until age 80.
Osteoporosis
Initial test at 65: All women over age 64 should have a bone density test(DEXA scan). Discuss with your doctor when you should have a follow-up scan.
Pelvic exam and pap smear
NO need for pap smear or pelvic exam if, by age 65, you have not been diagnosed with cervical cancer or precancer.
Men’s medical risks are different from women’s. Certainly for men and women both, any change that brings about pain, bleeding, fever, nausea, diarrhea or dizziness should signal the need to see a doctor. Also, an unintended loss in weight, or problems with general tasks of daily life that were easy before (driving, preparing meals, light housekeeping, paying bills, dressing, bathing, eating, toileting). These can indicate a medical problem worth investigating..
Early detection Many conditions develop without any outward signs. High blood pressure or cholesterol, for instance, do not have physical symptoms, but they can cause big problems if they go undetected. Fortunately, a good number of the diseases that develop in older adults can be prevented, cured, or at least managed well, if they are caught early.
Below are the guidelines set out by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for regular screening exams for men 65 or older.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Initial screening if you have been a smoker and are between 65 – 75: Ultrasound.
Blood pressure
Have your blood pressure checked every year.
Â
Cholesterol and heart disease
Every 5 years: Have your cholesterol level checked (a fasting blood test).
Have it checked more often if you have diabetes, heart disease, or kidney problems: ask your doctor.
Colon Cancer You should be screened for colorectal cancer until age 75. There are several screening tests available. Some common tests include:
Every year: a fecal occult blood test.
Every 5 years: a flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Every 10 years: a colonoscopy, unless you have risk factors for colon cancer. Ask your doctor about recommended frequency.
Dental exams
Once or twice every year for an exam and cleaning.
 Â
Diabetes
Every 3 years: Screening for diabetes.
More often if you are overweight and have other risk factors for diabetes: ask your doctor.
Eye exams
Every 1-2 years: Have an eye exam.
At least every year if you have diabetes.
General physical exam
Yearly: Get a physical exam with your doctor. Medicare will pay for this.
Hearing tests
If you have symptoms of hearing loss, have your ears tested.
Immunizations
Once: Get a pneumococcal vaccine if you have never had one, or if you received one more than 5 years before you turned 65.
Every year: Get a flu shot.
Every 10 years: Get a tetanus-diphtheria booster.
Once after age 60: You may get a shingles or herpes zoster vaccination.
Lung Cancer
Once a year if you have a 30 pack-year smoking history AND you currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years: Get a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) until age 80.
Osteoporosis
Men also have problems of thinning and brittle bones as they age.
Once: Men age 70 and over should consider getting bone mineral density testing.
Talk with your doctor to find out if you have risk factors for osteoporosis.
Prostate cancer
Talk with your provider about prostate cancer This is such a slow growing cancer that unless you have symptoms, it has been determined that the consequences of screening have been less beneficial than waiting for symptoms to appear.
We are living longer!
Only 100 years ago, the average person lived to their mid-fifties. Now, the average life expectancy is in the late seventies. If you’ve made it to 70 already, there’s a 20-30% chance you will see your 90th birthday. As for children born today, 10% of little girls are likely to live to 100 or more.
Are we living well?
While we are living longer lives, many of those years spent managing multiple chronic conditions. Diabetes. High blood pressure. Congestive heart failure. Alzheimer’s and other dementia’s. COPD. It is these chronic conditions that can profoundly impact our daily experience of life.
What you can control Know your numbers. Monitoring your health is the best way to identify a problem brewing and take immediate action. The American Heart Association suggests that every adult keep track of their
Blood Pressure
Cholesterol
Blood Sugar
Body Mass Index (Height-to-Weight calculation)
Talk with your doctor to find out where you stand and what you can do.
The importance of lifestyle changes to prevent or manage these chronic conditions cannot be over-emphasized. Ideally one makes those changes in mid-life (take note daughters and sons). But even in later years, eating well, stopping smoking and becoming more active can do a tremendous amount to help you feel better. And to stay independent and do the things you enjoy doing.
Improving quality of life
Quality of life is the ability to spend your days doing the things that give you joy or bring meaning to your life.
Of course, the goal is to live a long life. But as we age, the quantity of one’s days often becomes less important. The quality becomes a bigger priority. What most of us hope for is good health and then to die in our sleep. Not very common—or likely. Once you accept that, however, you can look candidly at ways to increase the quality of your days, no matter your state of health. In terms of your physical health, that revolves around four strategies:
Maximizing energy
Simplifying demands
Reducing pain and discomfort
Focusing on activities that bring joy and meaning
As experts in aging well, we can help you look realistically at your physical challenges. Together we can come up with strategies to give you maximum independence and the highest quality of life. Give us a call at 704-945-7170.
If we’re facing facts, we have to admit that at some point the physical challenges of aging will become unavoidable. Each of us will walk the path of losing abilities. Eventually we will succumb. This is not a battle we will ultimately win.
It may be a crisis that lands us in the hospital. Or, a terminal illness that allows us to die at home. It could be a heart attack. Or we could die because our organ systems gradually shut down and simply can’t function any more.
The last few days
On the day we die, we will usually have been in and out of consciousness for a week or more. Unlike the movies, very few people are awake, aware or talking. Breathing will have become erratic, as will the heartbeat. Eventually, the heart and lungs will find it too difficult to continue, and one breathe will simply not be followed by another. The heart will stop.
The three pathways Everyone hopes for a quick and painless death. To die in our sleep.
It used to be that most deaths were the result of injury or disease. They did tend to be quick, and often unexpected.
With modern medicine, things have changed. We now tend to die with multiple chronic conditions that have been managed more and more aggressively over time. One condition eventually over powers the body and becomes the actual cause of death.
Sometimes it helps to know what to expect.
Researchers have identified three general pathways for the last few years:
Episodes of crisis with adjustments in between. In our older years, most of us manage well enough. We adapt. Then something happens. There’s a fall. A sickness. A surgery. We bounce back, but not up to the level of general health and vitality we had before. We find a new normal, and cruise along. Then something else happens. We dip down, and we recover. Just not up to where we had been. As a rule, over time, these dips occur more frequently, and the bounce back is lower each time. This is a common pathway for people with CHF or COPD, for instance.
A short and rather steep decline. Some of us will get a disease, like cancer. If it is not the kind that can be cured, it has a relatively steep (short) decline.
A gradual decline. There are some of us who reach advanced years with few chronic conditions, and very few crises. This pathway is a bit different. One simply becomes more frail. We lose weight and become easily fatigued. We walk ever more slowly and become less active. That doesn’t mean unhappy. It’s just that the physical body sort of dwindles. Usually it is an infection, such as pneumonia that finally tips the scale. As an example, this gradual decline is the general pathway for Alzheimer’s Disease.
I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Caregiving Corner as a Fractional COO since March 2023, and my experience has been nothing short of exceptional. From the moment I joined their team, it was evident that they prioritize their clients and care managers, fostering an environment of mutual respect and support.The company's commitment to streamlined processes and effective communication has been a game-changer. As a Fractional COO, I've had the opportunity to implement strategies that optimize operations and enhance overall efficiency. What truly sets Caregiving Corner apart is its unwavering dedication to the well-being of its clients. They prioritize open dialogue and maintain a strong sense of partnership, which has contributed significantly to the success of their education and partnerships in the community.In an industry where compassion and efficiency go hand in hand, Caregiving Conrer strikes the perfect balance.As a Fractional COO, I couldn't ask for a more fulfilling and rewarding partnership. If you're a caregiver looking for support, I wholeheartedly recommend Caregiving Corner. They are a true embodiment of integrity, compassion, and operational excellence.
Jennifer and Caregiving Corner are a trusted resource for senior care. Jennifer has a wealth of knowledge and will give you honest, unbiased advice in planning for the care of your loved one. Investing in her services is money well spent.
Jennifer and the Team at Caregiving Corner are patient, kind, courteous and generous with their time and their efforts. I would trust them implicitly with my family's best interest. Jennifer's willingness to provide support and guidance is second to none! Highly, highly recommend her services. Amazing advocate for her clients. She truly, truly cares and has their best interests at heart.
I'm writing to recommend Care Giving Corner for the best elder care management services I have come across. We were introduced to them for help with our parents' care by the Rev. Lisa Saunders at Christ Episcopal Church in Charlotte, who had known our family for 20 or 30 years. We had worked with a couple of the big national elder-care chains before, but their people seem so limited and their standard of care seemed very "average" at best.We work with Susan Ferone as our case worker/manager and Allyson Cooksy as our RN. They are conscientious, high-caliber, top-flight people. They're the kind of people we'd want to entertain with and be friends with, not just tolerate as hired help.They recently helped my parents identify and move to a retirement community that is a vast improvement over the retirement facility they had been in before. They connected us with services that helped with organizing, packing, moving, unpacking, setting up, and settling in. They even helped my mother find a decorator to help with some fabric choices and paint schemes to suit her new digs. That alone is half the battle - knowing who are the reliable, trustworthy service providers for various ancillary services.Allyson has helped my parents manage medical appointments, keep track of treatments and prescriptions, and devise daily structure that keeps things on track. She has helped identify and get services from therapists, etc. Allyson is amazing and a delight to be around.We live in a time when even those of us who are well-established and well-connected in our communities can feel bewildered by the experience of aging and everything that goes with it. Susan, Allyson, and their colleagues comprise an able and caring resource in an otherwise confusing and dysfunctional elder-care environment.
Jennifer and her team are top-notch and, without question, the best in the business. As an elder law attorney, I routinely refer my clients to Caregiving Corner because I know they will treat my clients like family. Thank you, Jennifer, for building such an incredible business that meets the needs of so many people!
Jennifer Szakaly is a registered guardian with high integrity and ethics. Jennifer goes above and beyond for her clients and she is not afraid to handle difficult cases and family dynamics to ensure her wards receive the best and most appropriate care. I cannot recommend her highly enough and I refer clients the Charlotte area to her very regularly. For any client in need of Aging Life Care Management or a Guardian, Jennifer and Caregiving Corner is the superior choice.
Caregiving Corner is an amazing resource for anyone who is navigating the experience of aging or caring for an aging family member. Jennifer and her team offer such a broad range of services - from helping families choose care facilities and make healthcare decisions to serving as a legal guardian for those who don't have family members (or whose family members are too unreliable). Their collective experience is invaluable, and most importantly, they have a genuine passion for working with older adults and their caregivers, and it shows. I enthusiastically recommend Caregiving Corner to everyone I know who is dealing with the often-challenging situation of caring for an aging loved one.
Since I started Transition With Care in 2009, a senior move management company, I have confidently referred my clients and families in need of care management services to Caregiving Corner. I have never received any negative feedback from my clients and consider Jennifer Szakaly and her team to be a shining example of how to help seniors and families navigate the complexities of caring for an aging loved one.
Our team at The Charlotte Assisted Living Community and Memory Care has had the pleasure of working with Jennifer and the Caregiving Corner Team for the last six months.During what can be some of the most trying and difficult times for their clients and loved ones, the Caregiving Corner team assists in navigating the journey to find a solution.Their compassion and dedication to their clients is above board. They offer a professional and sincere level of care to each family they are assisting. We look forward to our continued partnership.
I’m thankful for the guidance I’ve received from Jennifer Szakaly. She has helped me address current caregiving needs as well as understand options for what’s ahead. Her professionalism and experience is second to none.
I am an elder law attorney who has worked almost exclusively in the field of incompetency/guardianship for folks who no longer have the capacity to care for themselves. This is an extremely sensitive family matter, and the family of the incapacitated elder find themselves in a crisis and a world they do not understand. Caregiving Corner has been a savior to these families and lawyers in this field. Jennifer Szakaly, the founder and owner of Caregiving Corner, has assisted me in many cases, in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties, with evaluating, advocating for and acting as corporate guardian in these unfortunate situations. Caregiving Corner has a staff of professionals who assess the crisis, help find placement for the individual, and care for the individual and act in their best interests in all of their health matters. Jennifer is approved with the Clerks of Court who appoint her company. She is a Board member of affiliated organizations and non-profits. She is nationally certified as a corporate guardian, as well as holds degrees and other certifications in the field of geriatric care. I don't know anyone more qualified in this field or anyone more compassionate for the work she does for others.
Jennifer and her team take outstanding care of their clients and families! They are well-respected as professionals in this industry. Highly recommend Caregiving Corner!