Tag: Elder Care in Coon Rapids MN

As people grow old, they will experience many changes to their life. They will also experience many changes to their body, as well. In fact, there are some common physical changes that happen as we age. Knowing what these changes are can help you to better care for your elderly loved one now and in the coming years.

Bone Changes

Your elderly loved one might experience bone changes as they age. Senior citizens have reduced bone size. This is because the bones deteriorate. When this happens, the bones are weaker. If this is happening with your elderly loved one, they may experience weakness and pain. Your elderly loved one may be diagnosed with osteoporosis, too. If this happens, it is important to make sure you or elder care providers are checking in on or taking care of your loved one. This can help to prevent falls and keep them safer.

Heart Changes

The heart can often weaken as people get older, too. Many elderly people will experience a slower heart rate than when they were younger. The heart can enlarge, as well. This can cause many issues including heart disease or a heart attack. If this is something you are concerned about with your elderly loved one, be sure they see their doctor. The doctor can refer your elderly loved one to a cardiologist if they have concerns.

Brain Changes

You may have heard of many elderly people having dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. This is because the brain changes as people get older. Now, this does not mean that every elderly person will have a neurodegenerative condition. However, it is important to familiarize yourself with the symptoms and treatments for these types of conditions. If your elderly loved one is diagnosed with it, you can hire elder care providers to assist them from day to day.

Conclusion

These are just some of the common physical changes that happen as people age. If you are caring for your elderly loved one, these are some changes that you should keep an eye on. In addition, if there are any concerns that your elderly loved one has about their body or their overall health, make sure to address those concerns. If needed, you can get them checked out by a doctor. If there are any health issues going on, the doctor can set up treatments. You can also hire elder care providers to help out, too. You and the elder care providers can help to ensure your loved one follows through with their treatment plan.

Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1273316/

If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Coon Rapids, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

Everybody battles with not-so-happy emotions occasionally, even your senior. But recognizing the difference between your senior being sad and something else is what’s important. Here are some of the things you need to keep in mind.

Rule out Depression or SAD

Being sad once in a while is actually quite normal. Sometimes people miss the way things were or miss specific people or activities and it makes them sad. There’s a difference between sadness and depression or even seasonal affective disorder. Both of these are more complicated and require different types of treatments.

Double Check Other Health Issues

While you’re talking to your senior’s doctor about the possibility of SAD or depression, make sure that you address other health issues, too. Sometimes medications can cause side effects that contribute to depression, but health conditions can also contribute. Your senior’s doctor can help you to determine if this is a situation where other solutions are a good idea.

Incorporate Activities Your Senior Enjoys in Her Daily Routine

If your aging family member hasn’t been engaging in activities that she enjoys, that can cause her to feel a little less joy in her life. Sit down together and make a list of the things that she loves to do. Figure out how you can help her to incorporate more of those activities into every day. Sometimes even rearranging her day can help.

Help Her to Embrace Positivity

Finding ways to embrace a more positive attitude can be important for your senior and for you. Look at things like journaling and tracking gratitude. These might even be some things that you and your senior try together. They can help you to stay connected with each other, which is another way that you can help your senior to kick a bout of sadness.

Find Other Solutions that Might Help

There may be other factors, too. As your senior ages, some aspects of life become more difficult. It could be possible that having help from elder care providers enables your senior to let some of that sadness go. They can assist her with all sorts of tasks that need to get done while also offering friendly companionship on a daily basis.

Just being sad isn’t necessarily something for you to be really worried about. But if your aging family member doesn’t seem to be anything but sad lately, that might be more cause for concern.

If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Coon Rapids, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.