Navigating High Altitude Elderly Living & Travel: 7 Essential Tips for Seniors
By: Beth Rush
Managing Editor at Body+Mind
Seniors and high-altitude living go along better than you’d think. If there’s any space you’d want to settle down in, mountainous areas can be exciting. After all, the terrain offers cool weather and beautiful sights that provide a more serene environment than dry and humid land. Plus, it can be a great feat to reach peak physical fitness and handle the high elevation.
That said, becoming one of the high altitude elderly residents isn’t a process that happens overnight. It requires so much consideration and preparation to ensure your safety and well-being.
What Seniors in High Altitude Must Consider (High Altitude Elderly)
Seniors going to high altitudes can look forward to seeing beautiful scenery and breathing in clean air. However, they should also pay close attention to the impact of elevation, even more so than adults and kids. Depending on their health condition, they may be more prone to physical injuries and high-altitude sickness.
Living at high altitudes makes you age slightly faster than at sea level too. While the difference is minuscule, you can potentially be milliseconds older if you go above sea level compared to someone in lower altitudes. Granted, it still depends on the height of your elevation.¹
There are multiple benefits to your physical health, though. The High Altitude Research Center is carrying out the Healthy Summit Project, which assesses elevation’s impact on common diseases. Evidence points to a lower death rate because heart disease and several cancer types are less common. More research is needed to remove the plausibility of coincidence.²
Multiple pros and cons exist for the high-altitude elderly. Many have already tried and found joy in elevated living conditions. Weigh what’s most important to you and consider your current state and situation to see whether it’s viable or not.
7 Essential Tips For Mitigating High Altitude and Aging
High altitude and aging are both key factors to consider when attempting elevated living conditions. For high altitude elderly, you can mitigate both and achieve the best experience possible.
Here's 7 Essential Tips For Mitigating High Altitude and Aging:
1. Assess Your Health
Seniors interested in high-altitude living should be in good health before transitioning. There’s less oxygen in these parts of the world, making breathing difficult. If you already find it hard to do so right now, you may not be prepared to head up anytime soon.
Consult your doctor and run tests to see whether you have any preexisting conditions that make high-altitude living challenging. For example, pulmonary hypertension makes the heart work harder to pump blood into the lungs. Around 1% of the global population has this condition, and elevation can unfortunately worsen symptoms.³
2. Condition Your Body
If your health is clear, it’s time to consider conditioning your body. There are many physical activities to strengthen your lungs and improve your body. If you want to multitask, you can get an under-the-desk bike. Using it improves blood flow to your brain and cardiovascular strength while allowing you to stay productive.⁴
You can also try out walking. Opt for the stairs instead of the elevator. It’s okay to take your time. For extra fun, engage in aerobic activities like running and dancing. It increases your heart rate, which is good practice for high altitudes.⁵
3. Stay Hydrated and Full
Another way to improve your physique is to eat a balanced diet. It can strengthen your immune system to optimize your health before living at high altitude.
Plus, it gives your body the energy it needs to condition itself.
Make sure to stay hydrated as well. Less oxygen can result in increased fluid loss, which is almost inevitable at high altitudes. You need to build up the habit of drinking water. You can also invest in other hydration solutions to boost your fluid levels.
4. Learn First Aid
High-altitude living means a fair bit of isolation compared to the regular suburbs, so you must know how to treat yourself. Even the basics, such as stopping the bleeding or treating a wound, can make a difference.
It is also important to spot bruises and concussions. When you go to elevated spaces, watch out for altitude sickness too. It tends to show up within the first few hours. It is indicated by increased breathing rate, headaches, dizziness, and more.
5. Seek Company
Some seniors at high altitudes may migrate to those areas by themselves. However, try to see if your family will go on the journey with you. Maybe a friend is looking to settle down somewhere, or you can just look for a community of fellow seniors in the areas you’re looking for.
Companionship is great to have someone looking after you while at a high altitude. It also promotes better physical health and help with making new routines. If you want to stay there long-term, take the leap and find a buddy.⁶
6. Sort Out Local Treatment
High-altitude spaces may likely have few to zero health specialists available. However, still look out for some nearby hospitals providing general aged care. If you’re lucky, perhaps there are even reputable assisted living facilities nearby. The ideal spaces should have trained nutritionists and medical staff to help you out.⁷
7. Pick a Space to Settle
Finally, it’s crucial to pick the right elevated space to look into. Areas at least 8,000 feet into the atmosphere are already considered high-altitude. While some people may live up to 13,615 feet above sea level, consider sticking to the lower side of the spectrum. That way, you can focus on acclimating and enjoying the overhead environment.⁸
This summarizes the tips for mitigating high altitude elderly and aging.
Supplement Support For High Altitudes
For seniors going to high altitudes and the mountains, taking supplement support from Zaca can help strengthen your body. These chewables are formulated for faster hydration and recovery. Each chewable is packed with antioxidants, amino acids, and natural herbs that help give the body what it needs. With their refreshing taste and convenient form, it’s easy to eat 2-4 chewables each day on your mountain trip. Try Zaca’s chewable supplement today and power your next elevated mountain trip.
SOURCES:
1. Does gravity make you age more slowly?
https://www.livescience.com/does-gravity-make-you-age-slower
2. What’s it like to retire at altitude? Colorado seniors weigh in
https://www.cpr.org/2024/03/25/colorado-seniors-living-at-altitude/
3. What Is Pulmonary Hypertension?
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/pulmonary-hypertension
4. Best Home Exercise Equipment for Seniors in 2024
https://bodymind.com/best-home-exercise-equipment-for-senior/
5. 8 Exercises That Reduce Stress
https://www.medicalguardian.com/medical-alert-blog/fitness/8-exercises-that-reduce-stress
6. The Importance of Companionship For Seniors: Socialization and Better Health
https://www.ioaging.org/senior-socialization/importance-companionship-seniors-socialization-better-health/
7. 9 Keys to Healthy Aging in Women
https://bodymind.com/keys-to-healthy-aging/
8. Altitude
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/altitude/
