Obesity can be deadly for seniors. Being overweight can impact how well a senior moves, what they eat, and health problems. It can be exceptionally hard to gain or lose weight as an elderly person. You may want to care for your mom or dad, but the bigger they are, the more help they will need to stay as independent as possible.
Your loved one will need a team of professionals to manage their health and their lives. They will need doctors, dieticians, in-home care, and maybe even a therapist. If your senior is obese, they may have been eating a certain way for a very long time, which means there are habits to break. Sometimes it is more than just eating and has to do with health conditions. So, your senior will need to regularly communicate with their primary care doctor to ensure they have no other health problems.
Here are some things you should know about obesity in seniors:
Increases Chances of Having Other Health Issues
Unfortunately, obesity can make it hard to age in place because it can increase a senior’s chance of having other health issues that are harder to manage on their own. Things like diabetes, heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, and even death come with obesity. That is why focusing on, managing, and maintaining a senior’s weight is crucial. This may mean they need to focus on the foods they consume and move around more. If they need help sticking to a routine or cooking foods, this is something that in-home care can help them with.
May Hurt to Move
Some seniors are already struggling with ailments that make it harder to move around. If your senior is also obese, it can be exceptionally painful to move, so they stop doing it, which in turn causes them to get bigger. Even if it hurts, your senior should be moving around every day because it will help them stay independent and they can manage their weight better that way. When someone gets too big, even very simple tasks like bathing or walking up and down the stairs to the restroom can become taxing on their bodies. In-home care can help your loved one bathe and get dressed for the day, but if your loved one is determined to age in place, the more independent they are, the better it will be for them in the future.
May Stop Doing Things
Sometimes when a person gets too big, they start distancing themselves from other people, which can be detrimental to their health. Your loved one will need support and encouragement, and they should not be hiding away. Obesity can cause distance out of embarrassment or the fear of being judged. You should check in with your mom or dad and support them through this time. They may need help with lifestyle changes, but it is so important for them to have people to talk to and continue to get out and do activities that they love.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring In-Home Care in Mauldin, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116.
Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.
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