On 18 July 2026, Seniors Today hosted a dedicated health webinar focusing on “Monsoon Ailments in Seniors & Dealing with Them.” The interactive session featured a practical medical breakdown and an open audience Q&A session with Dr Manish Shetty, who was speaking with Pradyuman Maheshwari, Editor of Seniors Today.
About the Expert:
Dr Manish Shetty is a highly regarded Consultant Physician and Diabetologist with over two decades of frontline clinical experience. Other than an MD preceded by an MBBS, he also holds specialised certifications in managing diabetes and obesity. Alongside looking after his patients in private practice, he passes on his expertise as a Professor of Medicine at the R. N. Cooper Hospital and Medical College. Dr Shetty is also a prominent consultant by appointment at S.L. Raheja Hospital – A Fortis Associate in Mahim, Mumbai, where he is widely trusted for his holistic approach to adult medicine, chronic conditions, elderly care, and preventive health.
Webinar link – https://youtu.be/7nJ03XFpY9o
Webinar Presentation: Staying Safe in the Rainy Season
Chatting with Pradyuman Maheshwari, Editor of Seniors Today, Dr Shetty explained that while the rainy season brings welcome relief, it also marks a sharp rise in seasonal illnesses that hit older adults the hardest. Heavy downpours routinely cause flash flooding and water contamination as sewage overflows. Paired with high humidity and dipping temperatures, this creates a perfect storm for disease-carrying pests like the Aedes mosquito to multiply rapidly.
Dr Shetty pointed out that seniors face a unique set of challenges during these months: natural immunity weakens with age, the body struggles more to regulate its temperature, damp weather triggers painful joint stiffness, and slippery, wet floors drastically increase the risk of dangerous slips, trips, and fractures.
He broke down the most common monsoon health hazards into three main areas:
1. Waterborne Bugs and Illnesses
- Gastroenteritis (Tummy Bugs): Causes bouts of diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, and rapid dehydration. Dr Shetty warned that dehydration sets in incredibly fast in older adults. This can be particularly dangerous for anyone taking regular medication for blood pressure, diabetes, or thyroid issues, as sudden fluid loss changes how these drugs affect the body.
- Typhoid Fever: A bacterial infection (Salmonella typhi) caught from contaminated food or water. It causes a stubborn, high-grade fever that lingers for a week or more, alongside severe headaches and stomach pain.
- Cholera: Though thankfully rare these days due to cleaner water supplies, it triggers severe, painless watery stools that look like rice-water. It drains the body’s fluids rapidly and requires urgent medical attention.
- Hepatitis A & E: Viral infections caught from contaminated food or water that target the liver. Watch out for yellowing of the eyes (jaundice), dark urine, and a general feeling of nausea. Blood tests usually show a massive spike in liver enzymes during an infection.
- Leptospirosis: A serious bacterial infection spread through the urine of infected rats. When streets flood, this bacteria mixes into the standing puddles and can seep into the human body through even the tiniest scratch or cut on the skin. Classic warning signs include severe calf and leg pain, jaundice, and a persistent fever.