After having led an independent life and provided for others, the compulsions and restrictions of old age can be quite irksome. Bedevilled by debilitating ailments and embarrassed by their growing dependence on others, millions of the elderly in our country yearn for more dignity and security. Changing lifestyles, and their children often having moved away, have made the elderly more isolated and dependent on others for their everyday needs. In the absence of effective social support services, they often feel lost in a world that they once lived in confidently. As life expectancy increases in India and more people join the bracket of the ‘retired’, our healthcare service providers should pay special attention to serving the elderly. We need to institute special healthcare programs for senior citizens, to help them better manage their age-related issues and continue leading a productive life. Taking the unique and special requirements of the elderly into account, Columbia Asia Hospital organised a special Health Camp for senior citizens, wherein doctors and experts discussed with them the daily problems they face and offered advice to help them deal better with their health and related issues. Dr Jayant Arora (Orthopaedician & Joint Replacement Surgeon) talked on ‘Recent Advances in the Management of Arthritis’, and Dr Vipul Aggarwal (Urologist) covered the ‘Management of Prostate Issues in Old Age’, during a three-hour programme that was attended by over 50 people, including some family members of the elderly. The doctors also offered valuable information and advice on how to lead a good quality of life despite common diseases like hypertension and diabetes, how to safeguard the heart, how to prevent strokes, and helped raise the awareness on orthopaedic care. They also spoke about the importance of physical fitness for senior citizens. Arthritis of the joints is one of the major health problems that affects almost all the elderly. While we cannot completely prevent the age-related wear and tear, significant measures can be taken to manage the condition and keep the basic mobility intact. Joint replacement surgeries have made major advances in recent years and now have much better outcomes and longer durability. Prostate related issues also affect almost 90 per cent of men after the age of 70. Better screening and treatment modalities have radically improved outcomes and life expectancy. The Camp offered free consultation with an Orthopaedic Surgeon for the elderly. The Orthopaedic Camp also provided for free knee x-rays, free physiotherapy sessions as well as discounts on other investigations and hospitalisation, if advised. The senior citizens also availed the benefit of free consultation with an Urologist, free USG screening, and 50 percent discount on PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test. According to an estimate by the United Nations Population Fund, by 2050 India will be home to over 15 per cent of the world’s elderly population.
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