Later life News
Bowel screening recommended to start at 50
The independent expert screening committee has recommended that bowel cancer testing in England should start 10 years earlier at age 50. Currently only those aged 60 - 74
are invited for bowel screening via a home test kit every two years. However screening people at a younger age would result in more bowel cancers being picked up at an earlier stage where treatment is likely to be more effective, the experts suggest.
Get physical for a healthier heart
People in their early 60s who spend less time sitting and more time being active may have a lower risk of heart disease, say experts writing in the Journal of the American Heart Association. This particular age group is often
affected by lifestyle changes, as people make the transition between work and retirement. Promoting physical activity at this stage is important, the researchers suggest, as inactivity is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular conditions.
Think young, stay young
Feeling young could be the secret to staying young, say experts at the American Psychological Association. Increasing your physical activity
and feeling more in control of your life could, they add, help improve your mental abilities, increase your lifespan and give your overall quality of life a boost.
later life
The latest health and wellbeing news for those in their golden years
Friendship and advice are just a call away
For many older people, the days of autumn and winter becoming shorter means more time spent indoors – and often alone. Christmas can be a particularly challenging
time too, with estimates suggesting around half a million pensioners spend Christmas day by themselves every year. The Silver Line is a charity founded by
Esther Ranzen that provides the UK’s only free 24-hour helpline offering confidential information and advice to people aged 55 and older, every day and night of the year. “Like many of our Silver Line callers, I
know only too well what loneliness feels like,” says Esther. “It may not be possible to heal the cause of our loneliness – I know that nothing will bring
42 All About health
my husband back and many Silver Line callers have also lost a partner, or a family, or can no longer get out and about. But we can tackle its effects: if we work together we can help restore to older people the confidence, the fun, the respect they deserve.” The charity also offers individual and
group telephone friendship schemes that provide regular weekly half-hour calls with a volunteer or weekly hour-long group conference calls with others who share your interests. For information, advice or just a chat – or
you want to set up regular friendship call – call The Silver Line Helpline free on 0800 4 70 80 90 on any day at any time.
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