What Are The Biggest Health Issues For Seniors Today?
Health issues are common at all stages of life, regardless of one’s age. However, with aging comes more health issues, which is why people 65 and older are at an increased risk for chronic physical and behavioral health problems.
Studies have found that older adults are almost certain to develop one or more chronic diseases because of their age, genetics, or gender.
According to an April 2025 report in Preventing Chronic Disease, a journal from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 93 percent of adults 65 and over reported having one or more chronic conditions; almost 79 percent reported having at least two.
What’s more, certain conditions can lead to other health problems. For example, the CDC reports that obesity, which affects about 30 percent of adults 65 and older, is associated with more than 200 chronic conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancers.
In addition to obesity, other common health issues adults 65 and older face include:
1. Arthritis
Approximately 51 percent of older adults live with arthritis, which can cause joint inflammation, particularly around fingers, knees, and hips. The condition also causes pain, which can affect an individual’s mobility and quality of life.
2. Cancer
A large percentage of cancer cases and deaths occur in this age group, according to the CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For example, the NIH reports that in 2020, over 64 percent of new cancer cases and 71 percent of cancer deaths involved older adults.
3. Chronic Kidney Disease
With chronic kidney disease (CKD), your kidneys slowly get damaged and cannot filter waste from your blood. This can lead to problems like anemia, infections, heart issues, and kidney failure. Diabetes and high blood pressure can cause CKD, which affects more than 33 percent of older adults.
4. Depression
Depression is a mental health disorder that can lead to physical problems if left untreated. The CDC reports that an estimated 15 percent of older adults have depression, which is not a normal part of aging.
Depression causes ongoing feelings of sadness, pessimism, hopelessness, fatigue, difficulty making decisions, changes in appetite, a loss of interest in activities, and more. Managing stress levels, eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, and antidepressant medications or psychotherapy are ways to fight depression.
5. Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, is too high. According to the CDC, 24 percent of older adults have diabetes, a condition that develops when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or any at all. Insulin regulates blood sugar levels, and it is what the body uses to convert food into energy and distribute it to the cells. When this does not happen, blood sugar increases, and this can lead to kidney disease, heart disease, blindness, and other serious conditions.
6. Heart Disease
Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, occurs when the heart cannot pump blood effectively. Heart disease is a general term for several types of heart conditions, with the most common being coronary artery disease (CAD), according to the CDC. CAD occurs when the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart, become narrowed or blocked due to plaque buildup.
With heart disease, which affects 16 percent of older adults, the heart may become enlarged, develop more muscle mass, or pump faster to meet the body’s needs. This can cause symptoms such as light-headedness, nausea, confusion, a lack of appetite, and tiredness.
7. High Cholesterol
Unhealthy lifestyle choices and genetics can play a role in causing high cholesterol, often resulting from eating too many foods high in saturated and trans fats. These “bad” fats can raise the levels of low-density lipoprotein, also known as “bad” cholesterol. An excess of bad fats in the body can cause clogged arteries, which can lead to heart disease.
The CDC reports that 55 percent of older adults have high cholesterol. However, not all high cholesterol is caused by an excess of bad fats; it can also be inherited.
8. Hypertension
Hypertension is often called high blood pressure, but it’s also known as “the silent killer” because people can have it without realizing it. Hypertension results when the heart pumps blood through narrowed arteries. As the arteries narrow, it’s harder for blood to flow, making the heart work harder to circulate blood throughout the body. The higher the resistance and the greater the volume of blood pumped, the higher the blood pressure.
This dangerous condition affects 61 percent of older adults, according to the CDC, and can cause stroke and heart attack, both of which can lead to death.
9. Respiratory Diseases
Lung infections, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), emphysema, asthma, and other respiratory issues can cause life-threatening complications—and even death—for older adults, especially those with a history of smoking or exposure to smoke.
Respiratory diseases share common symptoms, such as shortness of breath, persistent cough, and wheezing. This is one of the reasons why asthma frequently goes undiagnosed in older adults, because the symptoms can be mistaken for other problems, such as heart issues or COPD, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. An estimated nine percent of adults aged 65 and older have asthma, which causes swelling and tightening of the airways in the lungs.
Ways to Manage Chronic Health Issues
Older adults may have chronic disease, but many of them can be managed—and some even eliminated—with medication and guidance from medical professionals.
Some of the steps involved in either preventing or better managing a chronic medical condition include:
1. Quit or avoid smoking or vaping. Try not to breathe secondhand smoke, chemical fumes, and dust, which can irritate your lungs.
2. Limit your alcohol consumption.
3. Eat a healthy diet. Monitor your carbohydrate and calorie intake. Avoid saturated and trans fats, and limit your sugar and salt consumption.
4. Check your blood pressure regularly. The sooner you catch pre-hypertension, the more likely you are to prevent developing high blood pressure.
5. Manage stress levels. Talk to your family and friends when things get hard, and try practicing meditation regularly.
6. Stay active. Engage in daily physical activity, such as doing household tasks, climbing stairs, gardening, yard work, walking, or biking.
7. Exercise for 30 minutes five times a week. Regular exercise, whether it’s in a gym or at home, keeps your blood glucose levels in check and helps to control weight gain.
8. Maintain a healthy weight. Being at a healthy weight can improve your overall physical and mental well-being, increase your energy levels, and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases.
9. Get seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
10. Follow your doctor’s recommendations for the treatment of certain health problems. Also, learn the warning signs of specific conditions and tell your doctor if you experience any signs or symptoms.
Source Links:
https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-top-10-most-common-chronic-conditions-in-older-adults/
https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2025/24_0539.htm
https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/most-common-health-concerns-seniors/
