Looking for articles on Scuba and the Aging Diver

[ReneeC]

Working on a final presentation for my instructor cert. Since several of my associates, myself included, are approaching that "aging" diver age - I want to do the presentation about the special medical conditions divers face as they get older.
I know about the DAN study - looking for other resources. If you have suggestions please write. Thanks!

 

[MechDiver]

Working on a final presentation for my instructor cert. Since several of my associates, myself included, are approaching that "aging" diver age - I want to do the presentation about the special medical conditions divers face as they get older.
I know about the DAN study - looking for other resources. If you have suggestions please write. Thanks!

You might contact Larry "Harris" Taylor at http://www.mindspring.com/~divegeek/ . He has an extensive dive library that probably contains what you're looking for.

MD

 

[ArcticDiver]

Check the scubadoc web site also. If memory serves there are a couple links there.

Last time I looked the message's thrust was that good enough physical condition to dive was good enough physical condition to dive regardless of age. The discussion rotated around just what constituted good enough physical condition for each of the different styles of diving.

 

[ReneeC]

Check the scubadoc web site also. If memory serves there are a couple links there.

Last time I looked the message's thrust was that good enough physical condition to dive was good enough physical condition to dive regardless of age. The discussion rotated around just what constituted good enough physical condition for each of the different styles of diving.

My presentation is focusing on the medical conditions that everyone encounters as we get older and how to recognize and respond to different problems beyond what we might learn in a basic rescue diver class. I've got a bunch of stuff already but I like to have lots of reference.

 

[ArcticDiver]

My presentation is focusing on the medical conditions that everyone encounters as we get older and how to recognize and respond to different problems beyond what we might learn in a basic rescue diver class. I've got a bunch of stuff already but I like to have lots of reference.

Oh OK. I thought you were going more into depth than that. Thanks for the explanation.

One comment that may be useful. One of the major contributors to the confusion about the effects of aging is that no one has specifically defined how physically fit a diver has to be at any age. What physical standards there are are not really "standards".

It is obvious that physical requirements for a military combat diver who handles hours in the water, heavy loads, high stress, etc. are much different than requirements for a civilian diver looking at sea life in the shallow Hawaiian tidewater. In the same way it is obvious that physical and mental requirements for different kinds of amateur diving will be different. However, we don't often acknowledge that difference.

So, when you write your paper you might raise the question of just what the medical requirements might be for various kinds of amateur diving. After all, within certain bounds a diver can change the kind of diving to match their physical status

 

[ReneeC]

Thank you - Good observation!