Hoax – A hospital director in Beijing allegedly said that many conditions in the elderly are not diseases, but rather signs of normal aging.
Analysis
In the universe of information shared on the internet, tips and advice about health and well-being spread rapidly, often promising valuable guidance from seemingly reliable sources.
Recently, an extensive message has been attracting attention, circulating mainly on messaging apps and social networks, by bringing a series of guidelines attributed to a “director of a Beijing hospital”.
The text suggests that many conditions considered diseases in the elderly, such as memory loss, insomnia, body aches, and even slightly elevated cholesterol levels, are, in fact, just normal signs of the aging process, minimizing the need for medical treatment in various cases. Read the message circulating online:
Many conditions are not diseases, but rather normal aging. The director of a Beijing hospital gave this advice to the elderly: You are not sick, you are aging. Many conditions you consider diseases are not diseases, but rather signs that the body is aging. 1. Memory: Weak memory is not Alzheimer’s, but a self-protective mechanism of the aging brain. This is the brain aging, not a disease. If you simply forget where you put your keys, but manage to find them yourself, it is NOT dementia. 2. Mobility: Walking slowly and having unstable legs and feet is not paralysis, but muscle degeneration. The solution is NOT to take medication, but to move.
3. Sleep: Insomnia is not a disease, but the brain is adjusting its rhythm. It is a change in the structure of sleep. Do not take sleeping pills indiscriminately. Prolonged dependence on sleeping pills and other sleep medications increases the risk of falls, cognitive impairment, etc. The best sleeping pill for the elderly is to get more sun during the day and maintain a regular routine. 4. Pain: Body aches are not rheumatism, but a normal reaction to the aging of the nerves. Many older people say: My arms and legs hurt everywhere. Is it rheumatism or bone hyperplasia? Bones become loose and thin, but 99% of “body aches” are not a disease, but a slow nerve conduction, which amplifies the pain. This is called central sensitization, a common physiological change in the elderly. Exercise is the cure, instead of taking medication.
5. Chronic Conditions: Cholesterol. Older people have slightly higher cholesterol levels because they have lived longer. Cholesterol is the raw material for the synthesis of hormones and cell membranes. A very low level can easily reduce immunity. The guidelines for the target of blood pressure reduction in the elderly are <150/90 mmHg, and not the standard for young people <140/90. Do not treat aging as a disease. 6. Perspective: Aging is not a disease, it is a necessary path. Advice for Seniors and Children: A few words should be said to the elderly and their children: first, remember: not all discomfort is a disease. Second, many elderly people are afraid of being “scared.” Do not be frightened by the physical exam report or be fooled by advertisements. Third, the most important thing for children is not just taking their parents to the hospital, but accompanying them on walks, sunbathing, meals, conversations, and bonding. Aging is not the enemy.
It is another word for living… but stagnation is the enemy! Stay healthy. Life Stages (According to an Oncologist): An oncologist said that: 1. Middle age starts at 50 and should end at 70. 2. The golden years start at 70 and end at 80. 3. Old age starts at 80 and ends at 90. 4. Longevity starts at 90 and ends after death. Solitude and Autonomy: The main problem of an elderly person is loneliness. Generally, spouses do not die together, someone dies first. A widow or widower becomes a burden on the family. That is why it is so important not to lose contact with friends, to meet and communicate often, so as not to be a burden on your children and grandchildren, who will probably never tell you.
My personal recommendation is not to lose control of your life. This means deciding when and with whom to go out, what to eat, how to dress, who to call, what time to sleep, what to read, what to have fun with, what to buy, where to live, etc. Because if you cannot do all these things freely and alone, you will become an unbearable person who will be a burden to others. About Happiness and Life (Attributed to Shakespeare): William Shakespeare said: “I am always happy!” Do you know why? Because I expect nothing from anyone. Waiting is always distressing. Problems are not eternal; they always have a solution. We believe we are to blame for our problems.
The only one for which there is no cure is death. Before reacting… take a deep breath; Before speaking… listen; Before criticizing… look at yourself; Before writing… think carefully; Before attacking… surrender; Before dying… live the most beautiful life you can! The best relationship is not with the perfect person, but with someone who has learned and is learning to live in the most interesting and beautiful way possible. Observe the deficiencies of others… but also admire and praise their virtues. If you want to be happy, you need to make someone else happy. If you want something, you need to first give something of yourself. You need to surround yourself with good, friendly, and interesting people and be one of them. Remember: in difficult times, even with tears in your eyes, stand up and say with a smile: “It’s alright, because we are the fruits of an evolutionary process.”
Fact Check
When analyzing the claims circulating online, we focused on three crucial points to determine the credibility of the message: the existence and authorship of the advice by the supposed director, the validity of the medical information contained in the text, and the recurrence of health hoaxes with false attribution to authorities.
The questions to be answered are: 1) Did the director of the Beijing Hospital say that various symptoms are not diseases but signs of aging? 2) What is real and what is false in the message about aging, diseases, and the director of the Beijing Hospital? 3) Are there health fake news in messages falsely attributed to health authorities?
Did the director of the Beijing Hospital say that various symptoms are not diseases but signs of aging?
There is no evidence to corroborate the claim that a “director of a Beijing hospital” uttered or wrote the text that is being widely shared. The hoax, which already circulates in several languages and platforms, never cites the name of this supposed director, nor the specific hospital, making it impossible to check the primary source.
The lack of an identifiable source is a strong indicator that the authorship is fictitious. It is a common tactic in health hoaxes to use an authority figure, such as a foreign doctor or someone from a renowned institution, to lend credibility to unverified information.
What is real and what is false in the message about aging, diseases, and the director of the Beijing Hospital?
Although the authorship is false, the content of the message is a dangerous mix of information. The text contains some sensible tips, such as the importance of physical activity (“move”) and social interaction for the elderly. Furthermore, the idea that the aging process itself is not a disease but a natural path is correct. However, the message makes a serious mistake by minimizing or disregarding legitimate medical conditions.
For example, although mild memory loss is common, the message simplistically claims that “Weak memory is not Alzheimer’s,” ignoring the need for medical evaluation to differentiate normal cognitive decline from pathological conditions. Asserting that “Insomnia is not a disease” or that “99% of ‘body aches’ are not a disease” can lead the elderly to neglect symptoms that, if diagnosed early, could be effectively treated.
Furthermore, the statement about blood pressure guidelines does not reflect the entirety of international medical consensus, which depends on the individual assessment of each patient, reinforcing the idea that the text should not be used as a treatment guide. To conclude, the phrase attributed to William Shakespeare is not his and has already been debunked in another fact check by Boatos.org.
Are there health fake news in messages falsely attributed to health authorities?
Yes, the false attribution of health advice to authorities and renowned professionals is a recurring tactic in the dissemination of misinformation. The objective is precisely to gain the reader’s trust and promote the content’s virality.
Cases involving supposed interviews with medical professionals, such as the false attribution of health tips to an oncologist, or health advice falsely linked to prestigious institutions, are examples of this practice.
Conclusion
The message circulating with supposed advice from a “director of a Beijing hospital” is, in fact, a piece of misinformation. Although it contains common-sense observations about aging and well-being, the authorship is completely false, and the text, by minimizing important medical symptoms, can induce the elderly and their families to neglect seeking proper diagnosis and treatment.
Health in old age requires professional and individualized monitoring, and replacing medical guidance with unverified messages is a risk that should be avoided.
Fake news ❌
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