Elderly Care Tips For The Aging Man In Your Life

Elderly care for men in the United States is more important now than ever. Aging men have shorter life expectancies and poorer overall health than women.

In addition to being physically and emotionally draining, many health issues that aging men face can increase the risk of financial hardship.

In this guide, our holistic health experts provide elderly care tips you can apply to the aging men in your life.

Common Health Issues Elderly Men Face

In American men, the two most common causes of death include heart disease and cancer. Other health conditions men face include prostate cancer, liver disorders, sexual health disorders, and chronic pain.

Additionally, an outdated idea of masculinity – cigarette smoking, frequent alcohol consumption, and working late – relates directly to conditions that affect the health and wellness of men negatively.

Elderly care tips for men with heart conditions

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that heart conditions stem from Blood Stasis, a by-product of Qi (vital life force) Deficiency.

Men should practice stress management, eat a balanced diet, quit smoking, drink alcohol less or stop drinking, and exercise regularly.

In addition, men may also consider using herbal remedies that promote blood circulation. Examples of these are Panax notoginseng (san qi), ginkgo biloba (yin xing), and black bean vinegar.

Elderly care tips for men with prostate conditions 

Prostatitis is prevalent among 30 to 50-year-old men and can be classified as bacterial or non-bacterial. The former describes an acute or chronic bacterial infection, while the latter refers to prostate inflammation.

Bacterial prostatitis

A healthcare provider may recommend pain-killing medication and antibiotics to improve a man’s health and wellness.

Men with chronic bacterial prostatitis can also use alpha-blockers, which can relax the muscles in the prostate gland and the base of the bladder.

This helps with urination. For easier and less painful bowel movements, a doctor may prescribe laxatives. 

Enlarged prostate

Prostate enlargement narrows the urethra and puts pressure on the base of the bladder. Consequently, a man may suffer urine flow obstruction.

Surgery and medications that help shrink the gland or relax its smooth muscle will help treat the condition.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer usually affects men over 50. In the early stages, cancer cells are confined in the prostate gland.

As they become more aggressive, they may enter the vascular and lymphatic systems and spread to other parts of the body as secondary tumors.

The following herbs remove Heat toxicity due to radiotherapy and protect body fluids:

• Scutellaria baicale (huang qin)
• Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex (huang bo)
• Radix Ophiopogonis (mai men dong)
• Lithospermum erythrorhizon (zi cao)

Herbs that ease the toxic effects of chemotherapy include:

• Poria (fu ling)

• Perilla leaves (zi su)
• Houpoea officinalis (hou pu)

• Ginger
• Rose banksiae (mu xiang hua)

Men can also take an herbal prostate care supplement with saw palmetto and other TCM herbs to support urinary health and prostate function.

Elderly care tips for men with Liver-related conditions 

There are distinct reasons behind the development of liver diseases in men. Viral infections cause Hepatitis A, B, and C. 

Genetics may cause men to inherit other liver conditions like Wilson disease (an accumulation of copper in the liver and vital organs) and hemochromatosis (a gradual build-up of iron in the body).

Going to bed early, engaging in physical activity, eating well, avoiding substance use, and ingesting medications may help prevent, treat, or manage the symptoms of these conditions.

Unmanaged fatty liver disease can lead to the development of cirrhosis, fibrosis, or cancer. To prevent its onset, a licensed TCM practitioner may recommend using several natural ingredients. These include:

• Panax notoginseng
• Turmeric (jiang huang)

• Red sage (dan shen)
• Turkey tail mushroom (yunzhi)
• Astragalus (huang qi)

Elderly care for aging men with sexual health disorders 

Men who overexert themselves physically can suffer impotence, premature ejaculation, weak erections, or nocturnal emissions (sleep orgasms).

TCM believes sexual disorders among men come from stress and Kidney Deficiency due to Liver Qi Stagnation.

• Limiting alcohol intake, consuming a balanced diet, and regulating the frequency of physical activity can positively affect sexual health.
• Ginseng (ren shen) has been scientifically proven to improve impotence. 
• Cordyceps (dong chong cao) can enhance a man’s libido and address premature ejaculation by warming and nourishing Kidney qi.

Elderly care tips for elderly men with lower body pain

Men who experience pain in the waist and back are likely overweight, have bad posture, or have been sitting for too long.

The easiest ways to alleviate the pain are to maintain proper posture and a healthy body weight. Here are some other care tips: 

• Use medications: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or prescription drugs help ease pain, relax muscles, and prevent back spasms. Similarly, steroid injections can be used for that effect and to reduce inflammation. 
• Undergo physiotherapy: Osteopathic manipulation and chiropractic adjustments may relieve pain, relax tightness, and improve body alignment and posture. 
• Undergo surgery 
• Use acupuncture massage by a qualified acupuncturist to ease the pain.

TCM believes that a Kidney Qi or Jing (essence) Deficiency aggravates the waist and back, causing pain. To ease this, men can consume Du Zhong Bu Yao, which nourishes the organ system and strengthens the waist.

Likewise, a waist tonic essence that’s formulated from multiple herbal ingredients can also help relieve back pain.

Refer To A TCM Physician For Personalized Tips

The key to maintaining a man’s overall health and wellness is to ensure a balanced lifestyle. Alternative remedies may support the prevention and treatment of various disorders.

However, it’s best to speak to a licensed TCM practitioner to ascertain the safety of specific herbal formulas or ingredients before use or consumption. 

This is an adaptation of an article, “Men’s Health: Why It’s a Big Issue and How to Take Care of Yourself,” which first appeared on All Things Health’s website.