We need a definition of what age constitutes senior citizenship. Just as pediatricians divide children into newborns, infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children, adolescents, and young adults, we should also consider health care for the elderly by dividing them into sixty, seventy, eighty, and ninety-year-olds. As a doctor, I’ve lived to the age of ninety, and I’ve learned for the first time that physiological, mental, physical, economic, and social changes occur each year as we age. In pediatrics, all children experience differences in growth and development depending on their age, and preventive measures also vary with age. Therefore, children are regularly screened at the pediatrician’s office. I believe we need to enact a law promoting senior health that ensures that all children and guardians regularly care for their mental, physical, socioeconomic, food, clothing, shelter, disease prevention, and love. Just as parents shouldn’t leave their one-year-old children home alone, neither should they leave their sick ninety-year-old parents home alone. When older people age, they can experience physical and mental aches and pains, lethargy, and a sense of burden. They can also develop mental illnesses such as depression. They can also experience chronic physical illness, pain, financial difficulties, isolation from family members, social isolation, interpersonal conflicts, verbal, emotional, and behavioral problems, a high risk of suicide, loss of relationships with spouses and other family members, conflicts in interpersonal relationships, frustration when the need to belong is not met, a sense of being a burden, and sadness and anhedonia in old age. We need to support and love the elderly mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially.
After the age of 40-50, normal changes in the secretion of sex hormones like testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone occur, leading to changes in relationships between men and women.
Vision may weaken without your knowledge, and tears and mucus production may decrease. Glaucoma or cataracts may also develop, so it’s important to check for these conditions.
Some discharge may build up in the ear canal, making it difficult to hear, and hearing loss may occur due to problems with the eighth cranial nerve. Seek medical attention.
Regular dental cleanings are essential.
Furthermore, the 12 cranial nerves in the brain may not function properly, affecting the face, mouth, tongue, throat, esophagus, larynx, and trachea. This requires careful attention.
Both men and women may experience urination and bowel movement problems, which can lead to incontinence and constipation.The muscles in their shoulders, arms, and legs lose strength, and osteoporosis develops in their bones throughout their body, making it difficult to walk and stand, and making it easy for them to fall and fracture.You should watch them carefully while they walk so they don’t fall around the house.
Living alone and lonely is truly bad for their mental health, so you shouldn’t let them live alone and lonely.
Sometimes, you buy them things they want to do, buy them new clothes, take them to places they want to go, and give them some pocket money.
If you abandon them because they’re old, who will live long and feel sad?
Respect your parents. Prevent suicide.
drleepediatrics.com 8/3/2025
Dr. Lee Sang-won, a pediatrician.
Copyright drleepediatrics.com 1/27/206