Columbia Aged Care

Osteoporosis is a condition where human bones become fragile and brittle, which leads to a higher risk of breaks. This condition occurs when your bones can no longer replace their normal calcium levels, which results in a calcium deficiency. Bones become thinner and are susceptible to even minor accidents causing them to break.

The bones that commonly develop osteoporosis are the hips, spine, wrist, ribs, pelvis and upper arm. Osteoporosis is a serious disease that affects many elderly people and can lead to chronic pain, disability and loss of independence.

Osteoporosis Australia has provided some tips on how to minimise your risk of developing osteoporosis.

• Ensure you receive enough calcium in your diet: Calcium is important for maintaining strong, healthy bones. Adults over the age of 50 should eat three serves of calcium a day. Foods that are high in calcium include milk, yoghurt and cheese.
  Other foods with lower levels of calcium include nuts, breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Your Doctor can also recommend calcium supplements to help increase your daily intake of calcium.
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D is important to maintain strong bones, increase the adsorption of calcium and to regulate the amount of calcium in the blood. You can receive your daily dose of vitamin D from exposure to sunlight.
  It is important to receive six to eight minutes of sunlight everyday for five days a week. However remember to wear sunscreen and be aware of the damaging effects of the sun. You can also take vitamin D supplements as recommended by your doctor.
• Exercise: Regular exercise can help to maintain and increase the strength of your bones and muscles. You should discuss with your Doctor or physiotherapist what exercises are suitable for you to do without injuring yourself. If you already suffer from osteoporosis then avoid exercises that include heavy lifting or sudden abrupt movements.

You can implement these three simple tips into your daily routine to help prevent the onset of osteoporosis. It’s never too early or too late to start taking care of your bones.

Read the full article here.

Gardening is an enjoyable pastime and it can benefit seniors in many ways. It is a therapeutic activity that promotes good health, wellbeing and relaxation. Gardening is also an excellent form of exercise for mobility, flexibility, strength and endurance. This type of activity helps prevent medical conditions such as osteoporosis and reduces stress levels.

 Disabled-World.com has provided some great words of advice for seniors who garden or want to start gardening.

• Warm up: this will help reduce muscle soreness felt later on.
• Keep hydrated: drink plenty of liquids and avoid alcohol.
• Be sun safe: always be sure your loved one is wearing sun protective gear such as a hat, long sleeved shirt and sunscreen and that they garden in the morning or afternoon to avoid the hottest parts of the day.
• Be careful with power tools: even small ones can burden worn or weary hands.
• Use adaptive tools: garden tools can be modified to suit the needs of seniors.
• Memory: If your loved one’s memory is becoming affected, securing gates and fences can help keep them safe while still allowing them to care for their garden.

It is important to know your loved ones limitations and make sure they don’t push themselves.

For more tips, read the full article here

The physical and mental changes we will go through as a result of aging are inevitable.  As our loved ones reach the point of old age before us and begin to experience these (often unwanted) changes, it is important we empathise with them and offer our support.

To be able to do this we need to understand what sort of changes old age may potentially bring on. 'Aging - Common ailments of the elderly' on the Ezine Articles website describes the three most common ailments experienced by the elderly.  

Aging can affect many of the members of the family. As a member of the family grows old, there will be lots of changes in the physical, emotional and mental health of the aging person. Most of our family members are not able to cope with the sudden change in the behavior of the aging person. Most aging people experience physical ailments, three of the most common ailments are listed below.

Alzheimer's disease
Is a very common disease among old people. It is often referred to as "the death of the mind before the body". Alzheimer's disease is commonly found to people aging 75 and up.

People suffering from Alzheimer's disease usually suffers also from a lack of acetylcholine, which is a brain chemical used to promote brain activity. What's bad about Alzheimer's disease is that, its symptoms only occur approximately after three years prior to the initial diagnosis. Alzheimer's disease causes the person to lose his perceptions of reality until he becomes incoherent, and forgetful.

Osteoporosis
During the first 3 decades of the life of a person, the process of bone loss and bone formation in his body is continuous. But, by the time a person reaches 30 years old, things start to change in his body, more bone mass is lost in his body than formed. Bone mass reduction is normal, but if the situation is severe, it is then called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis does not choose what gender it affects, it affects both men and women of old age.

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