Ageing: Types, Stages, Causes, Signs, Health Problems and Solutions

What is Ageing?

Ageing is a series of physiological changes in an organism that results in reduction of biological functions and the organism’s ability to adapt to metabolic stress.
The process of ageing is defined as the accumulation of structural and functional changes in an organism as time passes.
The alterations appear as a reduction in fertility and physiological capabilities from the organism’s peak age till death.

The proportion of the world’s population aged 60 and up will nearly treble from 12% to 22% between 2015 and 2050.
By 2020, the number of persons aged 60 and more will outweigh youngsters under the age of five.
By 2050, 80% of the world’s elderly will live in low- and middle-income nations, and population aging will be faster than in the past.
Every country faces significant hurdles in ensuring that its health and social systems are prepared to take advantage of this demographic transformation.
There is limited evidence that today’s older age is healthier than their parents.
Non-communicable illnesses are the most common health problems among the elderly.

Chronological age is the number of years since birth to the current date.
It’s age in years, months, days, and so on. This is the most common method of determining one’s age.

Biological ageing is the progressive decline in physiological ability of a person to meet demands that occurs over time.
The core principle of biological aging is that age as a result of damage to numerous cells and tissues in your body.
Biological age, also known as physiological or functional age, differs from chronological age in that it considers a variety of elements other than the day of birth

With age, the appearance of the face and neck changes.
The face appears flabby or drooping due to a loss of muscular tone and thinning skin.
Sagging jowls can give the appearance of a double chin in some persons.

Psychological age refers to how old a person feels, acts, and behaves, and is not always the same as chronological age
If a person is mature or at least feels older than their chronological age, they can have a psychological age that exceeds their chronological age.

The term “social aging” refers to how society influences the meanings and experiences of aging.
The expectations and assumptions of those around us about how we should act, what we are like, what we can do, and what we should be doing at different ages are all part of social aging.

It is early stages of the aging process where the vast majority of older people will continue to live in their own homes.
During this stage, a person can still take care of all of their necessities, such as transportation, finances, and health care.
A person may have suffered a little deterioration in mental and physical abilities, but not enough to affect their lives.
At this age, an older adult is still in good health and has a great quality of life.

In stage 2, older persons are more likely to struggle with everyday duties.
They will lose both physical and mental activity, and they may begin to forget things.
People will be able to accomplish many things on their own during stage 2, but not everything
Their quality of life will deteriorate if they do not receive support.
A caregiver may be required to assist with one or more tasks, such as driving, shopping, or bill paying.

By stage 3, age-related changes are more obvious, and an older adult is likely to have trouble performing a variety of daily duties on their own.
Because many older persons will have increasing problems with physical and mental activities, it may no longer be safe for them to drive or travel freely.
In the ‘Dependency’ stage, a person’s quality of life will be considerably impacted, and they will require increasingly considerable caring help.

When one requires immediate medical attention, it is in the crisis management stage.
Either they must reside in a skilled nursing facility or they must receive significant professional care at home.
This care is sometimes required due to physical issues. Memory care is sometimes required because the elder has Alzheimer’s or dementia.

The final stage of aging is called end of life.
The senior is approaching the end of his or her life.
The goal at this point, though, is for the older adult to feel as relaxed as possible.

Although free radicals and oxidative stress have a little role in aging (if at all), oxidative stress, glycation, telomere shortening, side reactions, mutations, protein aggregation, and other factors contribute to aging.
In other words, aging is characterized as the gradual degradation to these structures and functions.
This damage results in the emergence of pathological disorders and, as a result, death.

Wrinkles and fine lines are the most apparent and frequently concerning signs of aging for both men and women.
Fine lines, crow’s feet, and wrinkles
Skin dullness
Uneven skin tone
Dry skin
Blotchiness and age spots
Rough skin texture
Visible pores
Loss of hair
Decrease in eyesight power
Weaker bones
Difficult to resist harsh situations

Hearing loss
Cataracts and refractive errors
Back and neck discomfort
Osteoarthritis
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Diabetes
Depression and dementia
People who are older are more likely to suffer from multiple ailments at the same time
Geriatric syndromes: are a group of complex health disorders that emerge as people age
Additionally, there are variety of underlying causes for frailty, urinary incontinence, falls, delirium, blood pressure, and ulcers in elderly people

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), following ways can be followed for a healthy ageing:

Intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, and water
Being physically active can help avoid, delay, and manage chronic diseases, improve balance and stamina, lower chance of falling, and enhance mental health
No use of tobacco
Seek the doctor for regular health checkup and focus on preventive services. This can help prevent disease or detect it early enough for treatment to be more successful
Understand your family tree of various non-communicable diseases
Share family’s medical history with your doctor so that he or she can help you prevent chronic diseases or detect them early
If any concerns regarding memory or brain health, consultation with doctor is necessary

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2021–2030 as the Decade of Healthy Aging, and the World Health Organization was tasked with overseeing its implementation.
The Decade builds on the WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan, as well as the United Nations Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, and supports the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Decade of Healthy Aging (2021–2030) aims to reduce health inequities and improve the lives of older people, their families, and communities by taking collective action in four areas:
Changing how we think, feel, and act about age and ageism
Developing communities that foster older people’s abilities
Delivering person-centered integrated care and primary health services responsive to older people
Providing older people who need it with access to quaternary care.