Home Care in Lansing MI
There are many health issues that you are likely to hear a considerable amount about in the course of your home care journey with your elderly parent. One of these is osteoporosis. A condition that reduces the density of the bones, this disease causes bones to become so brittle that even a minor accident can cause a serious fracture. For your aging parent this means that even a small fall, a minor bump, or a hard cough could result in a major injury. Though fractures related to osteoporosis can occur anywhere in the body, they are most commonly in the spine, wrists, or hips.
Some things that you should know about osteoporosis include:
- Both men and women can be impacted by this disease, but women are at a higher risk
- All ethnicities can develop this disease, but whites and Asians are at the highest risk
- Younger people can and do develop osteoporosis, but the risk is much higher among aging adults and only increases with age
- 16 percent of women over the age of 50 have osteoporosis in their neck or spine
- The average hospital stay for a senior admitted due to a hip injury is just under 6 days
Finding ways that you can reduce the risk of this disease in the course of your home care experience with your elderly loved one is an important part of keeping her safe and healthy throughout her later years. It is important to note that there are some risk factors that you simply cannot control. These include:
- Being a woman
- Being older
- Already experiencing height loss
- Already experiencing broken bones
- Having a small frame
- Having a low body weight
- Family history of osteoporosis
- Having gone through menopause
These, however, are not the only risk factors. There are other issues that could increase your parent's risk of developing osteoporosis but that you can change. Some of these include:
• Unhealthy diet. Not getting enough of the nutrients that her body needs to support her bone health is a major contributing factor to osteoporosis. Make sure that she eats plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as other foods containing calcium and vitamin D. Discourage high levels of sodium and caffeine, or overly high-protein diets.
• Inactivity. Just like any other living tissue, bones need to work in order to stay healthy. Getting and staying active with you and her in home health care services provider will strengthen her bones and help to ward off osteoporosis. Even if she does develop the disease, activity can help to minimize its impact.
• Unhealthy body weight. The smaller your loved one is, the more at risk of developing osteoporosis she is. If your parent is very thin or seems to have lost weight recently, bring her in to the doctor for a checkup. Being below normal or ideal body weight will put her at higher risk and make it more difficult for her to overcome injuries if they do occur.
Source:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/osteoporosis.htm
http://nof.org/articles/2
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/basics/definition/con-20019924
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Lansing, MI, please contact the caring staff at Seniors Helping Seniors of Lansing. Call today: 517-332-9953.