Elderly show way to recovery after surgeries
July 17th, 2011 - 8:19 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, July 17 (IANS) Retired professor J.R. Verma, 91, underwent a second knee replacement surgery four months ago. But the only signs of old age this Delhiite carries are a walking stick and a deeply wrinkled skin. He is active and on his way to recovery.
“I still tell my children that I am not old. I can walk on my own, and a surgery or medical facility should only make me feel better,” Verma said as he was joined by many senior citizens of south Delhi’s Defence Colony to celebrate ‘Grandparents Day’ Sunday.
Verma is keen to take his passion for photography and writing going ahead — undeterred by his physical condition.
“I suffer from arthritis. I had a surgery at the age of 79, and have been leading an active life as a writer and amateur photographer since then,” he added.
Joining Verma was 78-year-old N.N. Mehra, who received a liver transplant in 2010. “Life only gets better if you embrace what comes with age,” he quipped.
Medanta Mediclinic in the locality came out with their ‘winning stories’ on how the old recovered well from surgical operations that come with age.
“There are certain diseases that people are more prone to after the age of 50. A timely health check up can help in diagnosing the disease early and make them lead an active life later,” said Medanta Hospital’s institute of cardiac sciences chairman Naresh Trehan.
Diseases such as cancer and arthritis can be treated in a much better way if diagnosed early, experts said.
“Prostate cancer screening should begin by the age of 50. In fact people who have a family history of the disease should go for screening early,” Trehan said, adding that “preventive care among senior citizens is all about caution and awareness”.
Diabetics, after entering the age of 40, also need regular screening for eyes and arthritis.
“Screening centres and comprehensive health check ups should become a part of the health policy for senior citizens. More importantly, youngsters should bring awareness measures to their notice,” said Medanta’s institute of bone and joint replacement chairman Ashok Rajgopal.
- Age no bar as arthritis strikes India's young (Oct 12 is World Arthritis Day) - Oct 12, 2010
- Chhattisgarh couple create new record for arthritic surgery - May 23, 2012
- Indians beware - smoking can cause arthritis (Oct 12 is World Arthritis Day) - Oct 12, 2011
- Surgery in India helps Iraqi woman walk - Dec 08, 2011
- New technique uses alcohol to save heart - Feb 01, 2011
- India's first robotic liver transplant successful - Oct 13, 2011
- Adults with arthritis have worse health related quality of life - Apr 29, 2011
- Sedentary lifestyles affecting health of India's elderly (April 7 is World Health Day) - Apr 06, 2012
- Delhi doctors save two-year-old girl - Mar 14, 2012
- Indian surgeons help Nigerian woman back on her feet - Sep 05, 2011
- At 82, she underwent her 11th surgery - Jul 13, 2011
- Surgeons conduct north India's first cartilage transplant - Nov 13, 2011
- Need to tackle monumental challenge of non-communicable diseases: Azad - Nov 17, 2011
- Indian doctors among the best in world: Ansari - Aug 19, 2011
- Cancer patients hope for children - with fertility preservation (Feature) - Mar 20, 2012
Tags: active life, amateur photographer, check ups, comprehensive health, defence colony, grandparents day, health check, knee replacement surgery, liver transplant, mediclinic, mehra, naresh trehan, prostate cancer, prostate cancer screening, screening centres, senior citizens, south delhi, surgical operations, timely health, wrinkled skin