As we age, our bones become weak and brittle. Some of this is part of the natural aging process, but there are other factors that contribute to the condition. A prolonged calcium deficiency would have caused the bones to be starved of an important nutrient that is essential to good bone health. Certain medications can cause bone weakness as well as a history of injury or trauma to the bones and other underlying medical conditions in the elderly. Care must be taken at all times not to worsen the condition.
The two types of bone issues in seniors are osteopenia and osteoporosis. Osteopenia is the precursor to osteoporosis and is defined as a thinning of the bones. Osteoporosis occurs when the bones become severely thinned and porous, due to the osteopenia – which can put the senior at an increased risk for broken bones. Most people aren’t aware of the deteriorating condition of their bones until they experience a crack or break that requires medical attention.
Women are more likely to developed the progressed state of bone thinning, osteoporosis, than men are. The most common time that women begin to exhibit the symptoms of osteoporosis is after menopause. This is because women stop producing estrogen at that time. Estrogen is an important hormone that ensures healthy bone structure. After the age of 75, men are more likely to develop osteoporosis than they were earlier in their lives. One of the risk factors for developing osteoporosis for elderly men is long periods of inactivity such as being on bed rest or having limited mobility due to another health issue.
The warning signs of the disease are a decrease in height and a stooped posture. Osteoporosis is the reason many elderly people look like they have ‘shrunk’ when compared to how they looked in their earlier years. While recovery time for seniors with broken bones can be extensive due to their slowing healing process, once they are able, they should be encourage to resume their normal activities as soon as possible. Caregivers and family members can assist the client with regaining their mobility or they can hire the services of a physical therapist to get the client moving again. The reason that movement is so important after a broken bone is because periods of reduced activity or inactivity can cause both the bones and the muscles to become even weaker. Any further weakening of the bones or the supporting muscle tissue is going to make the client more susceptible to breaks and fractures in the future.
In an elderly care situation, caregivers must be aware of the dangers of bone diseases and how to minimize the risk of any further complications.
Right Accord Health offers the finest elderly care and caregivers in the Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Longboat Key and surrounding areas. If you are concerned about a loved ones care then please contact us right away.
Tags: bradenton, caregivers, elderly care, longboat key, sarasota, venice
