As you get older things stop working. And when we say things what we mean is we stop working. Parts of the body that were once strong, vibrant and in perfect working order cease to be as efficient as they once were. In some instance they can be replaced or fixed, while in other instances they cannot. Sadly, when Alzheimer’s strikes there is no amount of medical help that can turn back the clock and restore your mind. The same applies for many other conditions as well, but in some cases, it is possible to replace the old with new and improved versions. Let’s look at a few of those.

Joints

For those who have a family history of joint pain and issues or for those who have simply given their knees, hips or ankles too much of a beating in the younger years — this is a common thing for runners and athletes — the news is good. Joints can be replaced and the comfort and relief that the operation can bring is enormous. If you are struggling with chronic joint pain, and you will know if you are, start with an online search for a phrase like ‘hip replacement specialist Melbourne’ and see what comes back. There will be somebody who can help in your area. Consult with them and see what they recommend. Your career as a tennis player might not be over yet!

Eye spy with my little eye

Eyes are one of the easiest things to remedy, they just need glasses. Eyes change constantly over the human lifetime and they need to be checked regularly. An eye that can degenerate unchecked might never be salvageable, but an eye that is monitored can be managed and looked after. Remember, it is not just about spectacles, it is also about spotting things like cataracts and glaucoma.

Organs

Modern surgery is wonderful, and it has reached a stage where most internal organs can be replaced. The tricky thing these days is less the surgery and more the actual finding of a donor. For the most part in order to get an organ replaced somebody needs to die first — which is tragic. With kidneys however, people have two and it is possible to arrange for a family member to donate one of theirs. A kidney transplant surgery is life changing and donating a kidney is one of the greatest gifts you could give a family member. But donating organs is also a great gift, register as an organ donor and let your family know that in the event of a disaster, that you would like to help somebody in need by donating things like liver, heart, lungs, corneas and kidneys.

Technology

Sometimes it is not whole organs that need to be replaced but rather technology that can be introduced to assist struggling body parts. A failing heart can be helped with a pacemaker or dodgy hearing can be resurrected with a hearing aid. Technology has come a long way in a short time and there is a lot that it is able to overcome. Speech for the mute and motion for quadriplegics. And advances are happening all the time so who knows what will be available by the time you are old and decrepit.