As many as 100 million Americans deal with chronic pain every year. A wide range of health conditions contribute to persistent pain, including back injuries, lupus, arthritis, shingles, nerve damage caused by diabetes and other issues confronting older adults. On top of causing severe discomfort regularly, chronic pain can prevent us from enjoying activities we love. So what can we do to effectively manage the pain so we can fully engage with life?

According to a recent article by AARP, the best way to handle chronic pain is with a holistic approach, engaging in both physical and psychological treatment. Because dealing with persistent pain can cause depression and anger, addressing these psychological issues is an important step in managing chronic pain.

Many older women struggle with osteoporosis, a condition causing bone thickness and density to decrease. Osteoporosis increases your risk for spinal problems and broken bones, which in turn can limit your level of independence. According to Mayo Clinic, exercising is an effective way to strengthen your bones and remain as independent as possible.  

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration decided to ease up on the approval process for new Alzheimer’s drugs. The decision is an effort to progress the battle against Alzheimer’s and dementia by finding ways to prevent or slow their progression in the early stages. Because the number of people with Alzheimer’s could triple to 16 million by 2050, the FDA says aiding efforts to combat the disease are more important than ever. 

So how are the rules changing? For more than a decade, the FDA required manufacturers to conduct clinical trials showing that drugs would improve daily functioning and preserve mental capacities. While manufactures will still have to hold drug trials, they will only need to demonstrate that people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s have shown subtle improvements on memory or reasoning tests.

Driving safety as we age can be a delicate subject. Loved ones and caregivers of aging seniors can find it a difficult topic to broach, especially if a senior is reticent to address their own declining driving skills. There are, however, things caregivers and seniors themselves can do to help ensure a senior’s safety on the road. And it may be as simple as using a gym a few times a week!

According to researchers from MIT’s AgeLab and the Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence, exercise may be the key to keeping seniors driving independently as they age.

"We know that exercise is valuable as we age," says Joseph Coughlin, Ph.D., director of the MIT AgeLab in a press release, "but we were interested in looking at connections to specific driving issues associated with aging."

Elder abuse is more common than you might think, affecting one in 10 adults aged 60 and older. Abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual or financial. One of the most frequent scenarios of elder abuse is stolen social security checks or money. According to a 2011 MetLife Mature Market Institute study, seniors who are victims of financial abuse lose $2.9 billion a year.

So who is perpetrating the abuse? Often, people close to the victim, including adult children. As many as two million people perpetrate abuse against a senior in their lives. Many seniors are hesitant to seek help, feeling guilty or embarrassed to report family members. As if this weren’t heartbreaking enough, public awareness of senior abuse is relatively low.