Recognizing typical signs of aging or causes for concern in the seniors
There’s a question that caretakers of elderly loved ones find themselves asking often – is this normal?
Certain characteristics are expected as a person ages. His memory will fade, his mobility will slow, his appetite will decrease. While these can all be perfectly normal signs of aging, they can also be signs of something serious.
It’s important forcaretakers to be aware of the changes occurring for their loved one and to know the warning signs of a more serious condition.
Is his memory loss a sign of Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’sis a devastating condition that affects millions of seniors across the country each year. The trademark of this debilitating disease is the severe memory loss and disruption to cognitive function that it causes. That’s not to say, however, that every small lapse in memory a person over the age of 65 has is a sing that he’s developed Alzheimer’s. So how can a caretaker tell if this is an area of concern or not?
Experts state that when the memory loss is significant enough to disrupt the person’s daily life, it’s something to look into. Everybody has occasional skips in their memories from time to time,butwhen it becomes so constant that a person’s ability to function to their full capacity is disrupted, it could be the sign of a significant issue.
Other signs of Alzheimer’s includes difficulty withconceptsthat were once very familiar, like performing certain routine tasks or recalling information that should be relevant and easily accessible. Alzheimer’s also tends to create significant changes in a person’s mood or behavior. If a loved ones personality has radically shifted, there’s a chance that he is being affected by the condition.
What does his imbalance mean?
The elderly are much more prone to having difficulty with their balance and with walking or stepping. As people age, their bones and muscles weaken, which makes it more difficult for them to get good exercise. This becomes a problematic cycle, as the lack of exercise will make the muscle loss worse, and lead to more mobility problems.
The danger here is that patients who have balance and mobility issues are moreprone to fallingand have an increased risk of serious injury when they dofall. Issues with balance and spacial awareness can also be signs of more serious conditions, so it’s important to keep an eye on how well a person being cared for can move on his own.
When determining if there is a need for intervention in a person’s mobility habits, a caregiver should look at how frequent and stunted the movements are. A person who trips on a loose rug but can catch himself is not in the same area of concern as a person who stumbles walking across flat surfaces and can’t regain his footing. When he starts to only walk near walls so he can have something to hold on to for balance, it could be time for physical therapy or the use of a can for safety.
How much food is enough?
Another common characteristic of aging is a decrease in food consumption. Seniors have slower metabolisms and are less active, so they don’t need as much food as they did when they were younger. Eating less frequently or not as much is not itself a bad sign, but significant appetite losses can be signs for a wide range of conditions, from depression to types of cancers.
When a person is eating so little that they start to noticeably lose weight, that is a big cause for concern. People who are not getting enough nutrients have weaker immune systems and are more susceptible to physicalailments.
Any caregiver who is worried about any changes in their loved one should carefully document what he is seeing, and should be prepared to discuss itwith his loved one’s physician.
