There are many elderly adults who don’t move around much. They may be inactive because of pain, health issues, depression, or because of another reason. No matter what the reason, however, inactivity can be dangerous for elderly adults. It can lead to weight gain, worsening health issues, and other issues in your elderly loved one’s life. In fact, some research shows that elderly adults who live a sedentary lifestyle will have worse effects than they would if they were smoking.
As a family caregiver, learning about the dangers of inactivity in elderly adults can help encourage you and their elderly care provider to get your elderly loved one moving.
Elderly Care Queens NY – Inactivity in Elderly Adults: How Dangerous Is It?
Difficulty Getting Things Done
It is important that your elderly loved one stays mobile as long as possible. If they are inactive, that is just going to make it more difficult for them to perform their daily living activities such as bathing and dressing. The main reason for this is because those that don’t move around much feel increased pain which affects their mobility.
Faster Bone Loss
While all senior citizens are already at risk for bone loss, if your elderly loved one is inactive, they could be losing bone loss much quicker. You or your loved one’s elderly care providers should make sure your loved one is moving around for at least 30 minutes twice a day to keep them mobile and to prevent extensive bone loss. Your elderly loved one, during those 30 minutes, should be doing things that encourage and promote increased strength.
Increased Depression
Elderly adults who aren’t very mobile are much more likely to become depressed. Physical activity improves people’s moods and mental state. A sedentary lifestyle can make your elderly loved one feel depressed, anxious, and extremely stressed out. In some instances, elderly adults have taken their life because of their increased depression. Don’t let this happen to your elderly loved one. Get them up and moving more often. If you can’t be there to make sure they move around more, have their elderly care provider get them moving.
Increased Heart Disease Risk
Living a sedentary lifestyle also increases the chances of developing heart disease. For those who already have heart disease, inactivity can worsen their symptoms and their condition. It is important to make sure your elderly loved one is being active throughout the day to improve their heart health and reduce their risk of heart disease.
Increased Type 2 Diabetes Risk
When your elderly loved one is inactive, they have a greater chance of getting Type 2 diabetes, as well. The reason behind this is that when muscles aren’t being used regularly after eating, the body isn’t able to process sugar properly.
There are many ways that inactivity can harm your elderly loved one. If you want to protect them and keep them healthy, be sure that you find ways for them to be active every single day.
Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6536a3.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/inactivity-among-adults-50plus/index.html
