"Bad Habits" of the Elderly: Five Common Phenomena and Coping Strategies

"Bad Habits" of the Elderly: Five Common Phenomena and Coping StrategiesIn China, the elderly population has witnessed the changes of the times, and the years have left deep marks on them. However, some habits that are common among the elderly may be seen as "bad habits" in today's social environment

"Bad Habits" of the Elderly: Five Common Phenomena and Coping Strategies

In China, the elderly population has witnessed the changes of the times, and the years have left deep marks on them. However, some habits that are common among the elderly may be seen as "bad habits" in today's social environment. These habits are not accidental, they stem from the unique experiences and beliefs of the elderly, but their impact on their health should not be ignored. This article will discuss five of the most common "bad habits" and provide some suggestions to help the elderly break them.

1. Frequent Eating of Leftovers: The Health Risks Behind Thriftiness

Many elderly people experienced times of scarcity, so they developed a habit of cherishing food. Even after their living conditions improved, they still find it difficult to change this thrifty mindset, and they are reluctant to throw away leftovers. However, leftovers are more susceptible to bacterial and fungal growth during storage, and even produce nitrites, posing threats to health.

1. The Dangers of Leftovers:

• Bacterial and fungal growth: Leftovers that are not properly stored are more likely to develop bacteria and fungi, which may lead to food poisoning, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting when consumed.

• Increased nitrite content: Especially for vegetable leftovers, the nitrite content will increase significantly during storage. The nitrite content of leftovers stored for a long time may even exceed national standards, posing serious health risks.

• Increased burden on the digestive system: The digestive system of the elderly is already weaker, and eating too many leftovers will further burden the digestive system, leading to problems such as indigestion, bloating, and stomach pain.

• Increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases: Consuming spoiled food can damage the gastrointestinal mucosa, increasing the risk of gastrointestinal diseases.

2. How to Avoid:

• Plan meals reasonably: Plan meals according to your intake to avoid making too much food.

• Buy food in appropriate quantities: When shopping, buy only what you need to avoid waste, prepare only the right amount of food for each meal, and ensure its freshness.

• Process leftovers promptly: Try to finish leftovers on the same day. Any remaining food should be refrigerated or frozen immediately and eaten quickly.

2. Refusing to See a Doctor: The Health Risks Behind Fear and Avoidance

Many elderly people have a fear of disease, fearing that they will be diagnosed with serious health problems, and choose to avoid seeing a doctor. They believe that they can live more peacefully without knowing their condition. Once they know, they will feel more psychological pressure. In addition, some elderly people are accustomed to "enduring minor illnesses and only seeing a doctor for major illnesses," believing that they can recover from minor ailments on their own and do not need to go to the hospital. They also find it too troublesome to see a doctor.

1. The Dangers of Refusing to See a Doctor:

• Delayed diagnosis and treatment: Some health problems may be delayed in diagnosis and treatment, turning minor illnesses into major ones, increasing treatment difficulty and even endangering life.

• Increased physical pain: If illnesses are not treated in time, they will bring more pain to the elderly's body, and problems such as chronic pain and mobility difficulties will affect daily life.

2. How to Cope:

• Strengthen health education: Children should strengthen health education for the elderly, regularly instill the importance of seeing a doctor, and make them aware of the early symptoms and dangers of diseases, so that they can consciously undergo regular checkups.

• Accompany and encourage: Children can accompany the elderly to see a doctor, reducing their psychological burden and encouraging them to actively cooperate with treatment.

• Choose appropriate medical institutions: Choose medical institutions that are familiar to the elderly and have a comfortable environment, reducing their anxiety.

3. Fondness of Buying Health Supplements: The Trap Behind the Pursuit of Health

As they age, the elderly pay more attention to their health, hoping to prevent disease, delay aging, and maintain good health by taking health supplements. However, the health supplements market is full of deception, with product quality varying greatly. Some unscrupulous merchants exaggerate the effects of their products and even engage in false advertising, causing financial losses and health risks for the elderly.

1. The Risks of Buying Health Supplements:

• Inconsistent product quality: Some unscrupulous merchants, in pursuit of profit, produce counterfeit and substandard health supplements. These products not only lack health benefits, but can also harm the elderly's bodies.

• Exorbitantly high prices: The prices of many health supplements are exorbitant, far exceeding their actual value. The elderly are easily fooled by merchants, leading to financial losses.

• Over-reliance on health supplements: Some elderly people become overly reliant on health supplements, neglecting the early treatment of diseases, delaying the best time for treatment.

2. How to Avoid:

• Rational purchase: The elderly should enhance their ability to discern, understand the role and limitations of health supplements, and make rational purchases, avoiding blind following of trends.

• Value the doctor's advice: Children should regularly take the elderly to the hospital for checkups, promptly detect and treat diseases, and not blindly trust advertising claims about health supplements.

• Provide family warmth: Children should spend more time with the elderly, communicate with them, and make them feel the warmth of their family, reducing their dependence on health supplements.

4. Disliking Bathing: The Health Risks of Neglecting Hygiene

Many elderly people refuse to bathe due to safety concerns or because they feel it is unnecessary. However, long-term refusal to bathe can lead to skin itching, rashes, and even skin infections.

1. The Dangers of Disliking Bathing:

• Accumulation of skin dirt: Not bathing for a long time can lead to the accumulation of skin dirt, causing skin itching, rashes, and other problems.

• Exacerbation of skin dryness: The skin of the elderly is already drier, and not washing it frequently will exacerbate skin dryness, even leading to skin cracks.

• Increased risk of infection: Hot weather can easily lead to sweating, and bacteria will multiply rapidly on the skin if not washed in time. The elderly have low immunity and are more susceptible to skin infections.

2. How to Solve:

• Provide safety assurance: Children can install handrails, anti-slip mats, and choose suitable bathing equipment for the elderly, enabling them to bathe more comfortably.

• Provide assistance: If the elderly are unwell and cannot bathe independently, children can help them bathe or hire professional caregivers to provide home services.

• Regular reminders: Children can regularly remind the elderly to bathe, helping them develop good hygiene habits.

5. Stubbornness: The Communication Barrier Behind Being Set in One's Ways

The elderly have experienced a long life and accumulated rich life experience. They firmly believe in their own judgments and actions, and often have their own set of life experience and beliefs. Sometimes, they can be quite stubborn and unwilling to accept new ideas or things.

1. The Dangers of Stubbornness:

• Hinders communication: When children express concern and offer suggestions, the elderly's stubborn nature can lead to communication barriers, affecting parent-child relationships.

• Missing out on better choices: The elderly's stubbornness can lead them to miss out on better choices, affecting their physical and mental health.

2. How to Cope:

• Respect and patience: Children should maintain respect and patience and not try to force the elderly to change their minds.

• Listening and understanding: Listen carefully to the elderly's views and try to understand their thoughts, making them feel respected.

• Circumspect explanation: If you find that the elderly's views are wrong, don't directly refute them, but use a circumspect way to explain the facts, making it easier for them to accept.

Conclusion

The elderly need to adapt to the development of the times and make changes. Children should show more care and understanding, help them overcome their "bad habits," and spend their later years in peace.

References:

• Workers' Daily: [Annual home checkups, "elderly bath assistants" included in new job categories... Addressing the pain points of care for disabled elderly]

• The Paper: [Unstoppable Medical Journey | Universal Technology China Zhongjian: Geriatric Medicine Makes "Growing Old Well" More Humane]

Screenshots:

[Insert screenshots here if needed]

Disclaimer: The content of this article is sourced from the internet. The copyright of the text, images, and other materials belongs to the original author. The platform reprints the materials for the purpose of conveying more information. The content of the article is for reference and learning only, and should not be used for commercial purposes. If it infringes on your legitimate rights and interests, please contact us promptly and we will handle it as soon as possible! We respect copyright and are committed to protecting it. Thank you for sharing.(Email:[email protected])