Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 5 million Americans and at least 50 million people worldwide. The majority of Alzheimer’s instances occur in adults 65 and older. Still, a small number of people are diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s—being in their fifties, forties, or even thirties, when diagnosed.

While diabetes is a worldwide health concern that doesn’t target based on age, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), around 25% of those 65 and older—an estimated 12 million—have diabetes.

From a young age, we’re taught the importance of dental and oral health: brush your teeth twice a day, floss regularly, avoid sticky candies, etc. And while it’s undoubtedly important to instill proper oral health habits in children, it seems like this practice and ideology declines with age.

Like many things, forgetfulness is a normal part of aging. As we get older, it’s completely natural and not usually a cause for concern when we misplace our keys, forget someone’s name, or miss an appointment.

Our vision can be something that we take for granted. We can often forget to appreciate how incredible the power of sight is when we’re reading a book, watching our grandchildren play, or looking out at a beautiful landscape of mountains or oceans. However, as soon as our vision begins to fade or lose some of its sharpness, we are forced to realize how crucial this sense is to our overall health and well-being.

Everyone knows the feeling. You’re walking up a steep flight of stairs and feel your breathing get a little heavier than usual, or you’re running on the treadmill and feel a slight tightness in your chest. This is fairly typical—lungs don’t have unlimited capacity, and at a certain point of exerting them, you will run out of steam—and breath. 

When you think of chronic conditions, you may think of diabetes or high blood pressure and cholesterol. Others you may not think about as much, like lupus, muscular dystrophy, or osteoporosis. However, with over 54 million Americans living with low bone mass, osteoporosis is more common than you may realize.  

Several stereotypes have come to be associated with memory loss: the image of a person who is always confused, wanders alone, gets angry easily, or doesn’t even remember their name. Not only can these stereotypes be untrue, but they can also be hurtful to those living with memory loss and their families.

As adults, the consensus is that we should see our primary care physician once a year for a physical exam. As we get older, however, medical needs change and require more attention, and this annual exam may not be enough to stay proactively healthy. After all, “the goal for medicine should be prevention and wellness [instead of] chasing medical problems after they come up,” says Amber Tully, M.D., a family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic. 

Did you know that six in ten Americans live with at least one chronic disease? For older adults, this number increases to 85%. Chronic conditions include diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, COPD, Alzheimer’s, and more.