Aging is an inevitable part of life, and with it comes many changes. Understanding the warning signs could prevent you from overreacting to an issue. You could also encourage healthy lifestyle choices that help your senior loved one maintain independence. Take a look at some of the typical signs of aging in the elderly.
1. Aches & Pains
When you begin to notice your loved one grimacing or groaning when going up and down the stairs, this could be an ordinary sign of aging. The aches and pains are due to decreased bone density. As the years go by, tendons and ligaments become stiff and leathery, leading to joint pain and soreness. Your loved one should stay physically active to boost bone health and prevent conditions such as osteoporosis.
A professional caregiver can help your loved one exercise in safety and comfort. Families who find it difficult to care for their aging loved ones without assistance can benefit greatly from professional respite care. Waterloo, ON, family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties can turn to Home Care Assistance. Using our proprietary Balanced Care Method, our respite caregivers can encourage your loved one to eat well, exercise regularly, get plenty of mental and social stimulation, and focus on other lifestyle factors that promote longevity.
2. Infections
Recovering from an accident or injury may take longer for older adults due to decreased T cell functioning brought on by aging. The immune system weakens, and the risk of illness increases. Your loved one’s body may not fight off infections as quickly as it did in the past, making him or her more susceptible to colds or the flu. Encourage your loved one to give up bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol to boost immune function in the senior years.
3. Hearing Difficulty
Over time, seniors lose sensory receptors in the inner ear, making it difficult to hear. Some sounds are muffled, and higher-pitched voices are difficult for older adults to understand. Although this is a normal sign of aging, you should take your loved one to the doctor for testing. A physician can give you tips to prevent rapid hearing loss and conduct an examination to determine if there’s a more significant issue, such as an ear infection.
4. Vision Impairment
Long-term exposure to sunlight can eventually reduce vision in the senior years. Experiencing occasional vision problems doesn’t mean your parent will be permanently blind. He or she should consider using glasses and other visual aids to ensure safety when completing everyday tasks and activities. Surgery can correct many vision problems, such as cataracts.
If your elderly loved one needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a trusted provider of senior home care. Our caregivers provide transportation to and from medical appointments and social events, nutritious meal preparation, assistance with daily exercise, and help with everyday tasks like bathing, grooming, and light housekeeping.
5. Forgetfulness
Normal lapses in memory, such as misplacing keys or forgetting where the remote control is, aren’t the same as the type of memory loss associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s. If your parent displays any of the symptoms related to those conditions, he or she should go to the doctor for a diagnosis. Receiving immediate treatment could slow the progression of neurological disorders such as dementia and reduce many of the symptoms.
6. Fatigue
Aging causes stiffer arteries and slower heart rates, which decreases metabolism. It may be difficult to complete tasks without feeling tired and uninterested. However, getting plenty of rest, eating healthy foods, socializing, and staying physically active can reduce fatigue, increase metabolism, and boost stamina.
Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of home care. Waterloo families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. To schedule a free in-home consultation, give us a call at (519) 954-2111 today.