Mind & Memory
This progressive neurodegenerative disorder is the most common cause of dementia in older adults, characterized by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.
What is Alzheimer's disease?
Often called the "silent killer," this chronic condition affecting over 70% of adults over age 65 significantly increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.
What is hypertension (high blood pressure)?
This degenerative joint condition involves the gradual wear-and-tear of articular cartilage, leading to joint stiffness and bone spurs.
What is osteoarthritis?
Characterized by insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion, this metabolic disorder affects nearly 30% of older adults.
What is Type 2 diabetes mellitus?
A progressive clouding of the eye's natural lens that causes blurry vision and glare, making it the leading cause of treatable blindness in seniors.
What are cataracts?
An interruption of blood flow to the brain—either ischemic or hemorrhagic—leading to sudden neurological deficits such as facial drooping or hemiparesis.
What is a stroke
This condition occurs when the heart muscle cannot pump blood efficiently, leading to fluid backup in the lungs, ankles, and legs.
What is congestive heart failure (CHF)?
Characterized by decreased bone density and porous bone tissue, this condition greatly increases the risk of fractures from minor falls.
What is osteoporosis?
Common in older women, this endocrine deficiency causes fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, and sluggishness due to low thyroid hormone production.
What is hypothyroidism?
An umbrella term covering emphysema and chronic bronchitis, causing progressive, non-reversible airflow obstruction.
What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?
Marked by resting tremors, bradykinesia, and muscle rigidity, this movement disorder stems from a loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra
What is Parkinson's disease?
This common cardiac arrhythmia causes an irregular and abnormally rapid heart rate, significantly raising the risk of blood clots and stroke.
What is atrial fibrillation (A-fib)?
Sudden, severe joint pain—frequently targeting the base of the big toe—caused by monosodium urate crystal accumulation.
What is gout?
Diagnosed by a sustained drop in glomerular filtration rate (GFR < 60 mL/min) for three or more months, often caused by long-standing hypertension or diabetes.
What is chronic kidney disease (CKD)?
Elevated pressure inside the eye damages the optic nerve, gradually robbing peripheral vision in a condition known as the "silent thief of sight."
What is glaucoma?
Unlike dementia, this rapid-onset state of fluctuating confusion and inattention is acute and often reversible once the underlying trigger (such as infection) is treated.
What is delirium?
Caused by narrowing of the arteries in the legs, this vascular condition leads to leg pain while walking, known as intermittent claudication.
What is peripheral artery disease (PAD)?
An autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the synovial lining of joints, causing symmetrical joint inflammation and destruction.
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Due to a blunted thirst response and reduced kidney function, elderly individuals are especially vulnerable to this severe fluid deficiency.
What is dehydration?
The clinical term for age-related, symmetric, sensorineural hearing loss that primarily impacts high-frequency sounds.
What is presbycusis?
Second to Alzheimer's in prevalence among seniors, this form of cognitive decline is caused by microscopic strokes or impaired cerebrovascular circulation.
What is vascular dementia?
Atherosclerosis in the main blood vessels supplying the heart muscle leads to reduced oxygen delivery, causing angina or myocardial infarction.
What is coronary artery disease (CAD)?
Age-related narrowing of the spinal canal that compresses nerve roots, causing leg pain and numbness that improves when leaning forward.
What is spinal stenosis?
In seniors, this bacterial infection frequently presents without classic urinary symptoms, instead triggering sudden confusion, agitation, or falls.
What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?
Seniors with dysphagia (swallowing difficulty) are at elevated risk for this severe lung infection caused by inhaling food, liquid, or saliva.
What is aspiration pneumonia?