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3 Common Health Issues to Watch for In Senior Aged Parents

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As your parents age, it’s only normal to worry about their health and well-being. You want to know they are safe and able to live as happy a lifestyle as possible in their golden years. With that said, there are a few common health issues that are worth watching for in your elderly parents. Whether they are acute or chronic, it’s important to read the signs so that you can act promptly. Here are three common health issues that you should be aware of in seniors.

Pain and Inflammation Are Common with Arthritis

Perhaps one of the most common issues that face seniors is pain and inflammation, which is often a symptom of arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), arthritis affects 24% of adults in the United States. That translates to 58.5 million people, which is quite large. What people don’t always realize is that it can affect people at any age. Because it is progressive it may just be more noticeable in the senior years. The good news is that there are many ways a person can better manage the pain and inflammation that arthritis causes, allowing them to still live a happy and fulfilling lifestyle. This is why a diagnosis is essential so that a treatment plan/path can also be discussed.

Memory Loss Can Be an Early Sign of Illness or Disease

Memory loss is something that people often chalk up to being part of “old age”. And while that can be true somewhat, it can also be an early sign of a more serious illness or disease that is developing, or has developed. Memory loss can be an early sign of dementia or Alzheimer’s, for example.

If you’re unsure of how concerned you should be about your elderly parent, take a look at this memory loss questionnaire from Belmont Village. The quiz takes just a few minutes and can help identify early symptoms of dementia. At the very least, it can act as an indicator of whether you should make an appointment with their doctor to discuss your concerns.

A Simple Fall Can Lead to Serious Issues

A fall may not seem like a big deal in your younger years, but as a senior, it can lead to very serious injury and risks. The odds of requiring emergency care after a fall are much higher as a senior. A fall can result in damage to their organs, deep cuts that may require stitches, broken bones and torn ligaments. For a small percentage of seniors, it can even result in a broken hip.

Falls tend to happen in the home, and most commonly in the bathroom. It’s a good idea to take extra precautions and install things such as grab rails, non-slip mats, adequate lighting, and other safety measures in the bathroom. The goal is to prevent the fall from ever occurring so that your parent doesn’t have to deal with a painful recovery that can result in permanent damage.

It comes down to staying vigilant, checking in on your parent(s) regularly and doing everything you can to help prevent issues from occurring in the first place.

About the author

Saman Iqbal

Saman is a law student. She enjoys writing about tech, politics and the world in general. She's an avid reader and writes fictional prose in her free time.







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