Osteoporosis can be a severely life-changing condition for your elderly parent. This reduction in bone mass makes your aging parent more vulnerable to fractures that can lead to pain, loss of mobility, and even increased mortality. As a family caregiver it is important that you recognize this risk and do what you can to help your parent prevent developing this condition and keep their body stronger and healthier as they age in place.
Use these tips to help your parent prevent osteoporosis as they age in place:
- Stay active. Keeping your aging body active helps to keep their bones stronger. Bones are living tissue just like muscles, meaning they need regular exercise to keep them healthy. Integrating resistance exercise into your parent’s routine is a valuable part of keeping their bones stronger and reducing loss of bone mass. Walking, jogging, bike riding, light weights, and even swimming can all be used as resistance exercise.
- Eat a healthy diet. What your aging parent eats makes a tremendous impact on their health and well-being, including the strength of their bones. Encourage your loved one to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein to ensure their body has everything that it needs to thrive. Focus on them getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D, both of which are critical for bone strength. Dairy products and green leafy vegetables are good sources of calcium, which regular sunlight will give them the vitamin D that they need.
- Manage health conditions effectively. Certain health conditions put your aging parent at higher risk of developing osteoporosis. These include cancer, lupus, kidney disease, liver disease, celiac disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. Managing these health conditions effectively, including making sure that your senior remains compliant with their medications and treatments, reduces the impact that the condition has on their body and can reduce the chances that this will lead to osteoporosis.
If your elderly loved one has recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis or has particular risk factors that make them more vulnerable to this condition, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting home care for them. An in-home senior care services provider can be with your aging loved one on a customized schedule that ensures they get all of the care and support that they need, while also allowing you to give them the care that you are able to give them according to your own schedule and abilities. This means that you can always feel confident that your senior is getting everything that they need whether you are able to be with them or not. These personalized services can be particularly valuable for an elderly adult who is suffering from osteoporosis. This care provider can help your parent to remain compliant with their medications and guidelines by offering reminders. They can also encourage them to make good lifestyle choices, such as eating a healthy diet and staying active. Physical support and assistance can help to reduce fall risk and protect your parent while they are handling basic daily tasks, such as bathing, navigating the home, and toileting. These services are valuable whether your parent has already developed the condition or if they are simply at risk.
For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable home care in Pacific Beach, CA, and the surrounding communities.
Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/home/ovc-20207808
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/osteoporosis.htm
https://www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-statistics
http://www.whathealth.com/awareness/event/nationalosteoporosisawarenessandpreventionmon.html
https://www.nof.org/about-us/building-awareness/national-osteoporosis-month/
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