The risk for some types of cancer increases as you age. For example, women become more at risk for cervical or endometrial cancers, while men have a higher risk for prostate cancer. While preventing cancer altogether may not be possible, screenings to detect certain cancers in the early stages can help effectively treat them. Read more on our Cancer page.

Dementia is a term used to describe a collection of symptoms that occur when certain diseases or conditions affect the brain. Common symptoms include: problems with memory and/or thinking skills, disorientation, struggling to follow things, mood and personality changes.

If problems like these start to affect your daily life, it’s worth making an appointment to discuss them with your doctor. If you’re worried about someone else, try to encourage them to see their doctor. You could offer to go with them for support if they seem a bit reluctant. For more information see AgeUK page: How to have an open conversation.

Being forgetful doesn’t necessarily mean you have dementia

As we get older, many people experience symptoms like these from time to time. Dementia-like symptoms can be caused by depression, vitamin deficiencies, stress, thyroid problems or urinary tract infections. If you’re worried, you should see your GP.

See more resources on dementia below.

Feeling down isn’t a natural part of ageing, it’s a sign that you’re not feeling as well as you should be. Older people with depression usually experience more physical symptoms – such as tiredness, weight loss, and problems sleeping. These aren’t trivial matters; they’re crucial to your health.

If you’ve experienced some of these symptoms on most days for 2-4 weeks, you should speak to your GP. Talking about your mental health can be daunting, but your GP is used to having these conversations. We are here to help and will know what to do.

Diabetes is a disease that causes a person’s blood glucose levels to become too high. There are two main types – type 1 and type 2. Read more on our Diabetes page.

Vision problems can lead to a higher risk of falls, driving accidents, and incorrect use of medications. They can also make day-to-day life harder. The best way to make sure your eyes are healthy is to have regular eye checks. Many eye diseases can be treated successfully if they are detected early.

Hearing loss is a reduced ability to hear. You may find you need the TV volume to be louder or that you can’t always hear people talking, especially in a crowd. Hearing loss is usually gradual and you may not notice any changes straight away. If you’ve recently noticed problems with your hearing, the first step is to talk to your GP and explain how these problems are affecting your day to day life.

One of the simplest health checks, but also one of the most important, is your blood pressure level. Persistently high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is a major cause of premature death and disability, because it can lead to strokes, heart attacks and heart disease. If left untreated it can increase your risk of heart disease, kidney disease and dementia.

People of all ages can have a problem controlling their bladder or bowel, and this can have a real impact on their daily lives. Some people avoid going out or need to plan their activities around a toilet. People can be reluctant to talk about bladder or bowel problems, but in most cases the problem can be cured or managed so it doesn’t interfere with your everyday life.

Flu is a highly infectious and potentially serious illness caused by influenza viruses. Each year the make-up of the seasonal flu vaccine is designed to protect against the influenza viruses that the World Health Organization decide are most likely to be circulating in the coming winter. If you’re 65 and over, getting your free flu vaccination is a very important way to help protect your health.

Malnutrition means that someone isn’t eating well enough to maintain their health and wellbeing. It is characterised by low body weight or weight loss. Being malnourished can mean more visits to the GP and longer recovery times from illness. Malnutrition can affect health and wellbeing, increase hospital admissions, and can lead to long-term health problems for otherwise healthy and independent older people.

The menopause is a natural part of ageing, and occurs when a woman stops having periods and is no longer able to have children. It’s a gradual process which happens over months or years. Read more here on our Female Health page.

Osteoporosis is a progressive condition that leads to more fragile bones as you get older. Fragile bones are more likely to break easily, and bones in your wrist, hip and spine are particularly vulnerable. For women, the hormone oestrogen helps protect bone strength. The reduction in oestrogen in the years following menopause causes a rapid bone loss, which can lead to osteoporosis.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs particular seasons. It’s more common in winter, as we adjust to the change in seasons and feel lower in mood and energy.

UTIs are infections of the bladder, kidneys, or tubes that carry urine. They are common in older people but are easily treated and there are steps you can take to prevent them.