While cessation is always a tricky journey, quitting cigarettes can be especially challenging for seniors who have smoked their whole lives. Even so, it’s essential that
they seek help to stop as soon as possible. That is because as one’s body ages, one becomes more vulnerable to heart disease and the cancers related to smoking.
Fortunately, it’s never too late to successfully quit smoking. In fact, research in Preventive Medicine Reports found that four in five older adults who had ever smoked cigarettes quit. That means that as long as you try, you can certainly quit smoking too! Below are our best tips for cessation and getting back to being healthy for seniors.
Understand your goals
When one has been smoking well into old age, it’s easy to question the need for quitting at all. However, the NIH reminds us that quitting will improve your health almost immediately. This will drastically improve the quality of your life, and also set a healthy example for your children and grandchildren who may have been exposed to secondhand smoke.
Hence, it is important to start your cessation journey with clear goals and purpose. This will help motivate you and prepare you mentally. Communicate this to your
loved ones too, and the support can encourage you and keep you accountable.
Using NRT
Willpower is certainly important, but medication and nicotine replacements can help ease the cessation by taking the edge off nicotine withdrawal. NRT includes nicotine lozenges that are ingested orally. An established brand in the market is Nicorette, which provides a range of flavors for all preferences. For nicotine pouches, Prilla stocks brands such as VELO and On!, which have classic flavors like mint or even unique ones like dragonfruit. This may be a better option for older adults who are uncomfortable with the lozenges’ dissolvable texture, but enjoy its ease of use.
For a topical solution, nicotine patches like those from NicoDerm are quite popular. While aiding in cessation, the moderated supply of nicotine using patches has also been hypothesized in Frontiers to restore nicotinic system functioning in older adults. This would result in attentional improvements, improved memory, and overall, healthier cognitive aging.
Lung and respiratory recovery
The lungs naturally weaken as one matures, and can get worse for seniors who have smoked due to accumulated damage from the tobacco. That is why recovery must often focus on restoring the strength of the respiratory system.
In our previous article on Senior Fitness Stereotypes, many older adults fear that they are too old to start and could risk injury. However, there’s always a way of getting more physical activity in your life regardless of your age.
Walking and swimming are great low-impact exercises that are less exhausting and easier on joints, while encouraging cardiovascular conditioning. Even doing chores can count as physical activity, which helps promote independent living for seniors as well! Start small and work your way up to build your body’s stamina and resistance.
Diets for easy digestion
Older adults commonly have problems with their digestion, and this becomes more challenging as the body adjusts to being without nicotine. It’s therefore important to center one’s diet around nutritious foods that promote gut health.
This includes plenty of fruit and high-fiber ingredients such as whole grains and vegetables. Examples are broccoli and potatoes, which are also high in vitamin C and
antioxidants to help undo some of the damage caused by smoking.
As always, setbacks are normal, so take them as a learning opportunity and try again. For more tips on the health and fitness of seniors, check out our other blog posts on Senior Fitness with Meredith for better health and quality of life in the years to come.