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At the time, Reagan was the oldest person to have served as U.S. president.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/sreference/the-reagan-presidency|title=The Reagan Presidency {{!}} Ronald Reagan Presidential Library – National Archives and Records Administration|website=www.reaganlibrary.gov|access-date=November 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Peter|first=Josh|date=November 5, 2020|title=Joe Biden will become the oldest president in American history, a title previously held by Ronald Reagan|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/11/05/oldest-president-joe-biden/6181672002/|access-date=November 18, 2020|website=USA Today|language=en-US}}</ref> Reagan's health became a concern{{To whom?|date=October 2020}} at times during his presidency.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} Former White House correspondent [[Lesley Stahl]] later wrote that she and other reporters noticed what might have been early symptoms of Reagan's later [[Alzheimer's disease]].<ref name="american chronicle">{{cite news|url=http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/6883|work=American Chronicle|date=March 15, 2006|title=Happy Anniversary to the first scheduled presidential press conference – 93 years young!|first=Robert|last=Rouse|access-date=November 12, 2008|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121123180712/www.americanchronicle.com/articles/6883|archive-date=November 23, 2012}}</ref> She said that on her last day on the beat, Reagan spoke to her for a few moments and did not seem to know who she was before returning to his normal behavior.<ref name="american chronicle"/> However, Reagan's primary physician, Dr. John Hutton, has said that Reagan "absolutely" did not "show any signs of dementia or Alzheimer's" during his presidency.<ref>{{cite news |last=Altman |first=Lawrence K., M.D. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/05/us/reagan-s-twilight-a-special-report-a-president-fades-into-a-world-apart.html |title=Reagan's Twilight – A special report; A President Fades into a World Apart |access-date=June 18, 2008|date=October 5, 1997|work=The New York Times}}</ref> His doctors have noted that he began exhibiting Alzheimer's symptoms only after he left the White House.<ref>{{cite news |last=Altman |first=Lawrence K., M.D. |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0DE5D61030F936A25755C0A9629C8B63 |work=The New York Times|title=The Doctors World; A Recollection of Early Questions About Reagan's Health|date=June 15, 2004 |access-date=November 11, 2008}}</ref>
Early in his presidency, Reagan started wearing a custom-made, technologically advanced [[hearing aid]], first in his right ear<ref>{{Cite news |access-date=June 13, 2008 |work=[[The New York Times]] |title=Reagan Begins to Wear a Hearing Aid in Public |last=Weisman |first=Steven R. |date=September 8, 1983 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/08/us/reagan-begins-to-wear-a-hearing-aid-in-public.html }}</ref> and later in his left ear as well.<ref>{{Cite news |agency=United Press International |access-date=June 13, 2008 |date=March 21, 1985 |title=Reagan Begins Using A Second Hearing Aid |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/21/us/reagan-begins-using-a-second-hearing-aid.html }}</ref> His decision to go public in 1983 regarding his wearing the small, audio-amplifying device boosted their sales.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-08-09-austin-hearing-aid_x.htm |title=He amplifies hearing aids |access-date=June 13, 2008 |work=[[USA Today]] |last=Friess |first=Steve |date=August 9, 2006}}</ref>
On July 13, 1985, Reagan underwent surgery to remove a section of his colon due to [[colorectal cancer]].<ref>{{Cite journal|title=President Reagan's Life Saving Colectomy and Subsequent Historical Implications |url=https://academic.oup.com/crawlprevention/governor?content=%2fmilmed%2farticle%2f179%2f7%2f704-707%2f4259363|access-date=January 28, 2022|journal=Military Medicine|year = 2014|doi=10.7205/milmed-d-14-00034|last1 = Sorensen|first1 = Robert H.|last2 = Farnsworth|first2 = G. Strider|last3 = Roberts|first3 = Jared E.|last4 = Welling|first4 = David R.|last5 = Rich|first5 = Norman M.|volume = 179|issue = 7|pages = 704–707|pmid = 25003852}}</ref> He relinquished presidential power to the vice president for eight hours in a similar procedure as outlined in the [[25th Amendment]], which he specifically avoided invoking.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hnn.us/articles/812.html |title=What is the 25th Amendment and When Has It Been Invoked?|publisher=History News Network |access-date=June 6, 2007 }}</ref> The surgery lasted just under three hours and was successful.<ref>Bumgarner, p. 285</ref> Reagan resumed the powers of the presidency later that day.<ref>Bumgarner, p. 204</ref> In August of that year, he underwent an operation to remove skin cancer cells from his nose.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/02/us/irritated-skin-is-removed-from-side-of-reagan-s-nose.html |title='Irritated Skin' is Removed from Side of Reagan's Nose |access-date=June 13, 2008 |last=Boyd |first=Gerald M. |date=August 2, 1985 |work=[[The New York Times]] }}</ref> In October, more skin cancer cells were detected on his nose and removed.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/13/weekinreview/balancing-the-budget-and-politics-more-cancer-on-reagan-s-nose.html |title=Balancing the Budget and Politics; More Cancer on Reagan's Nose |access-date=June 13, 2008 |date=October 13, 1987 |last1=Herron |first1=Caroline Rand |author2=Michael Wright |name-list-style=amp |work=[[The New York Times]] }}</ref>
In January 1987, Reagan underwent surgery for an enlarged [[prostate]] that caused further worries about his health. No cancerous growths were found, and he was not sedated during the operation.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/01/06/us/president-is-well-after-operation-to-ease-prostate.html |title=President is Well after Operation to Ease Prostate |date=January 6, 1987 |access-date=June 13, 2008 |work=[[The New York Times]] |last=Altman |first=Lawrence K. }}</ref> In July of that year, he underwent a third skin cancer operation on his nose.<ref>{{Cite news |work=[[The New York Times]] |last1=Herron |first1=Caroline Rand |author2=Martha A. Miles |name-list-style=amp |title=The Nation; Cancer Found on Reagan's Nose |access-date=June 13, 2008 |date=August 2, 1987 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/02/weekinreview/the-nation-cancer-found-on-reagan-s-nose.html }}</ref>
On January 7, 1989, Reagan underwent surgery to repair a [[Dupuytren's contracture]] of the ring finger of his left hand.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statement by Assistant to the President for Press Relations Fitzwater on the President's Hand Surgery |url=https://reaganlibrary.archives.gov/archives/speeches/1989/010789b.htm |publisher=Ronald Reagan Presidential Library |access-date=June 14, 2016 |date=January 7, 1989 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818061724/https://reaganlibrary.archives.gov/archives/speeches/1989/010789b.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Elections during the Reagan presidency==
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