As a person grows older, they tend to lose more bone mass than their body is building. While this is normal, when it becomes extreme, many elderly people, especially small-boned women, develop osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes a person’s bones to become so weak and frail that sometimes even a cough or bump can cause one of the bones to break, and a bad fall may cause multiple fractures.
If you are taking care of an elderly parent, especially a woman, you may wonder if osteoporosis is something you need to be concerned about. There are many risk factors that can increase a person’s chances of developing osteoporosis. Let’s look at a few of them.
Some risk factors that cannot be altered:
- Sex. Women are much more likely to develop osteoporosis
- Age. The older a person gets, the less bone density they have, so they are at greater risk.
- Race. Women who are white or Asian are more susceptible.
- Family history. If other women in your family have had osteoporosis, the chance of your elderly loved getting it increases.
- Body-frame size. Smaller and shorter individuals are more likely to develop this disease.
While those risk factors cannot be changed, you and your elder care provider may help with other factors that increase the possibility of your elderly parent developing osteoporosis.
A diet low in calcium
If your parent doesn’t consume enough calcium, her bones may not get the nutrients they need. These nutrients help maintain their density and strength. If your parent has not had enough calcium her entire life, the risk is even higher. Helping her consume more calcium now can help slow further damage, so look for ways to add calcium into her diet. A supplement can help, but finding natural foods rich in calcium, such as dark green leafy vegetables and certain fish, will be beneficial. Your elder care provider can help by shopping with your parent and helping her find foods that will increase her calcium intake.
Eating disorders
If your parent has an eating disorder, it may increase her risk of developing osteoporosis. Severely restricting food intake and being underweight will cause the bones to be weaker and easily broken or fractured.
Long-time use of steroids
If your parent has been using oral or injected corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone and cortisone, for many years, it can interfere with the bone-rebuilding process. If your parent has many other non-changeable risk factors, it would be good to talk to her doctor about her use of steroids and what other options there may be. Osteoporosis has also been linked to the long-term use of medications. Such as those used to treat gastric reflux, seizures, cancer, and transplant rejection.
A sedentary lifestyle
If your parent doesn’t regularly exercise, her risk of developing osteoporosis may increase. She should have a mix of cardio exercises (such as walking or swimming). Pair that with some weight-bearing exercises to keep her bones strong. Having an elder care provider either join her or bring her to the gym can help her stay active and reduce her risk of osteoporosis.
Aviva In-Home Care provides compassionate and skilled in-home care. We are the Bay Area’s premier provider of in-home care services.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional Elder Care in Burlingame, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care. Call today: (415) 795-2203
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