1. Heart Disease
Heart disease includes heart failure, heart attack, and arrhythmia, which impair the heart’s ability to beat regularly and effectively, impacting blood circulation. Heart disease is often found in conjunction with other conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, poor diet, and lethargy. Genetics also plays a roll in heart disease.

Heat disease prevention begins with sticking to a healthy diet and regular exercise regime as well as quitting smoking. Quickly identifying and treating potential health risks and complicating factors such as diabetes, and high blood pressure can go a long way to reducing your risks of having potentially serious heart disease. Check with your doctor if you are concerned about any of the above or if heart disease runs in your family.

2. Cancer
The types of cancers affecting seniors vary from colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, to skin cancer. The older a person gets, the more susceptible they are to developing any of the above cancers.

Prevention of cancer is still being heavily researched, and many scientists and doctors disagree on the best course of action to prevent cancer, but most will agree that catching cancer earlier rather than later allows time for treatment and increases your chances of survival. Annual check-ups may be your best defense.

3. Stroke (cerebrovascular disease)
The loss of speech, muscular control, or vision is cause by a stroke, also called cerebrovascular disease. A stroke is usually caused by a blood cot which either prevents blood flow to the brain or causes the brain to hemorrhage.

Prevention of strokes is tricky, but science tells us that seniors with high blood pressure or diabetes have an increased risk of having a stroke. Keeping those risk factors under control may be the best way to prevent a stroke. Also, catching early warning signs, such as a mild stroke, may give you and your doctor a strategy for preventing a major stroke.
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4. COPD
That irritating cough that just won’t go away, may not just be irritating if it’s due to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). This disease is often associated with heavy cigarette smoking or long-term exposure to air-born toxins and starts with a deep cough and mucus in the lungs.

Prevention of COPD may be as clear cut as stopping smoking or avoiding toxic working environments. Treatments may include inhalers or surgery to alleviate symptoms.

5. Pneumonia
Cold and flu season, during the winter, is one of the most likely times for seniors to contract pneumonia, an infection or inflammation of the lungs. Pneumonia really becomes deadly when it’s combined with other chronic diseases.

The pneumococcal vaccine may prevent some types of bacterial pneumonia, and the flu shot may also prevent one type of viral pneumonia. Otherwise just avoiding gatherings during the peak of cold and flu season, washing hands before eating and after returning home. Physical and breathing exercises may also help improve your lung capacity. Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke. When using chemicals, wearing a mask and protective clothing and working in a well ventilated area may prevent aspiration pneumonia.

6. Diabetes: Type II
Type II Diabetes is also known as adult onset diabetes, and is a metabolic disorder that affects the way your body responds to insulin and stores sugar (energy). The many long-term complications from diabetes are what make it so deadly since they can affect the eyes, kidneys, heart, blood vessels, immune system, and nerves. The risk of heart attack is dramatically increased for people with this type of diabetes.

Prevention of Type II Diabetes lies mostly in correctly managing it to avoid the serious complications associated with the disease. Diet and exercise are key for managing diabetes.

7. Accidents
Accidents are not an illness, obviously, but they become a big deal when you’re a senior. Slowed reaction, decreased muscle control, and brittle bones contribute to the danger of senior accidents whether it’s a fall at home or a car crash.

Preventing accidents could be as easy as knowing your physical limitations and asking for help.

8. Septicemia
Septicemia includes any major infection that enters the bloodstream, poisoning the entire body.

Seniors should be quick to go to the doctor if they have fever, shaking chills, changes in mental status, or bleeding into the skin. The doctor may be able to localize and treat infections quickly, preventing serious major infections that lead to septicemia. Also, having flu and pneumococcal vaccines reduce a senior’s risk of developing septicemia.

9. Nephritis
Nephritis is better known as kidney disease. Nephritis is caused by toxic chemicals, bacterial infections, or alcohol abuse, which damage our body’s filtering system, the kidneys.

10. Alzheimer’s Disease
More and more attention is being turned toward Alzheimer’s Disease since complications associated with the disease can be deadly. Alzheimer’s causes loss of memory, mental reasoning, and eventually motor skills and organ function.

Alzheimer’s Disease does not have a cure, and more research needs to be done to define better treatments, but most experts agree that maintaining a healthy lifestyle with healthy diet and exercise will help, and being proactive by quickly seeking medical help may reduce your risk of developing the disease or at least slow the symptoms.

Awareness and healthy living will go a long way to protecting you or the senior you love from becoming a casualty of one of these ten illnesses. If you are looking for FL assisted living, or senior housing around the country, use the search bar at the top of the page.

Houston Elder Care Directory

Waterford Dialysis Center and Assisted Living

Waterford, a new assisted living facility is opening up in Tyler. It advertises to have a high staff to resident ratio. The staff at Waterford’s goal is to provide “care and guidance that is mandatory to enhancing the quality of life for each resident and their continued independence. Our staff addresses the individual restorative and rehabilitation needs of each resident. A complete range of physical, occupational, and speech therapy service are offered to bring out each person’s full potential.” It is said that it is a one of a kind for East Texas because it has an on-site 20 unit dialysis center. The facility will have different levels of care. All care packages will include:

The enhanced assisted living package will include: 

The Skilled Nursing Services package(which offers the maximum level of care for those requiring extensive treatment, observation, and/or rehabilitation) includes: 

The respite care package (short term) includes:

• Scheduled Transportation

• Three Homemade Meals Daily

• Fully Furnished Private Suite

• Medication Reminders as needed

• Beauty/Barber Shop Services

• Housekeeping and Laundry Services

• Exciting Recreational, Social and Planned Activities

• Personal Assistance with Bathing, Dressing and Hygiene

Some special services that Waterford will provide include:

• CVA (Post Stroke) Rehabilitation

• Wound Care

• IV Therapy

• Hospice Residence

The Waterford in Tyler is being built at a fast pace. It is located off of Shiloh Road. Plans are that the facility will be opened this Spring of 2008.

Here are a few pictures of the Waterford in Texarkana:

Here are a few pictures of the one being built in Tyler: