It’s a fact. Almost everywhere in the world, women live longer than men. It’s also a fact that older women are more likely than men to be coping with ongoing health challenges.
Statistics tell the story: 49% of women have three or more chronic health conditions compared with 38% of men (see box).
“The reasons are many,” says Neeta Nayak, MD, CMD, a Board-certified geriatrician and physician also trained in hospice and palliative medicine. She has served on StoneGate’s Medical Advisory Council for over a decade. “Probably the biggest reason is that women typically are nurturers, always taking care of someone else. They have less time to take care of their own needs and often neglect their health.”
A second major reason for the health discrepancy between men and women is a decrease in the female hormone estrogen after menopause. “Without the protective effects of estrogen, women face an increased risk of a host of health challenges,” Dr. Nayak says. Conditions can range from heart disease and increased risk of stroke to high blood pressure, osteoporosis, breast cancer, insulin resistance, and a rise in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and the blood fat triglycerides. Women are also more likely than men to show signs of depression and anxiety.
Stopping Heart Disease, the No. 1 Killer of Women
The deadliest of all conditions affecting women is heart disease. It’s the leading killer of men and women alike, but women are more likely to die after a heart attack than men are. According to the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute, one in eight women over the age of 65 has some form of heart disease.
“Women typically develop heart disease 10 years later than men,” Dr. Nayak says. “Up until menopause, they’re protected, since their bodies regularly produce estrogen, which helps keep arteries strong and flexible. After menopause, their risk grows exponentially.”
Heart attack symptoms can differ in men and women. “Men usually feel classic symptoms such as chest pain. While women may have chest pain during a heart attack, they may also have other symptoms such as intense fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and belly pain. It’s easy to mistake these symptoms as other ailments, and women may not realize their heart muscle has weakened until the damage is discovered and it’s too late to help them.”
Staying Healthy: Tips for Senior Women
Wherever senior women are living – at home or in a senior care community, nursing home, skilled nursing facility (SNF), memory care, assisted living, or rehabilitation center – they can improve their prospects for good health. Dr. Nayak offers these tips:
- Take care of yourself. See your health care provider regularly. “Even if you feel healthy, you should have a checkup at least once a year,” Dr. Nayak says. “Take the same interest in looking after yourself as you’ve taken in looking after your family.”’
- Get screened and keep up with immunizations. Certain screening tests can help pinpoint health problems early. Ask your health care provider which tests are right for you. Johns Hopkins offers a convenient chart of the screening tests and immunizations that most women age 65 and older need.
- Be heart smart. If you smoke, stop. If you drink alcohol, limit your intake to one drink a day. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol/triglyceride levels under control.
- Stay active. A body in motion stays in motion, and exercise can help you prevent or control illness. Engage in some type of physical activity every day – anything you enjoy that improves strength, balance, and flexibility and promotes heart health.
- Eat a healthy diet. Combined with physical activity, eating nutritious foods in the right amounts can help keep you healthy. Many illnesses, such as heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis, can be prevented or controlled with dietary changes combined with exercise. Refrain from saturated and trans fat, and limit sugar and salt intake. Help prevent osteoporosis with calcium and vitamin D supplements.
- Maintain your target weight. Excess weight increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Use the Kaiser Permanente BMI (body mass index) calculator to find out the target weight for your height. Get to your healthy weight and maintain it by eating right and staying active.
- Be kind to your mind. Depression is a widespread problem in senior women. It can affect every part of your life, from appetite and sleep to interest in activities and relationships. Combat depression by staying engaged, making connections with others, and participating in supportive counseling.
Seeking the Right Community
“Senior women can beat the odds of developing, or worsening, chronic diseases,” Nayak says. “If you’re searching for a senior living community for you or your loved one, look for a wellness-focused provider. Find a community whose overall care program includes integrated services not only for ‘sick care’ but also for ‘well care’ – optimized health in body, mind, and spirit.”