Most people are under the impression that osteoporosis only affects elderly females, but this is simply not true. Osteoporosis can affect men, too, and it doesn’t always impact the elderly. These preconceptions about the disease actually prevent a lot of people from being accurately diagnosed. The major issue is that so many people who have the disease never would have considered themselves to be at risk, and by the time they discover that they do have it, it can be too late to take preventative action and keep themselves healthy and injury free.
Even amongst the elderly, osteoporosis remains largely undiagnosed. There are an estimated 1.5 million fractures that occur each year as a result of undiagnosed or untreated osteoporosis. About 300,000 of these are hip fractures, which can lead to a lifetime in a wheelchair or another permanent disability. If these cases were better anticipated and diagnoses, many of these injuries could be completely avoided. No one wants to see a family member go through the trauma of a hospital visit, and better knowledge of this disease has the potential to do this.
Besides the few things that you can do to help lower the risk of getting osteoporosis, preventative measures should be put in place so that if osteoporosis is a factor, or even if it might be a factor, that your loved one can stay safe in their own home. One of the simplest and most complete ways to do so is through in-home care. Many people know that an in-home caregiver can assist you and your family with the logistics of caring for an elderly loved one, but the professionalism and knowledge that they bring with them to the job can also lay a groundwork for safety and health that you can implement while your parent’s caregiver is not there, too. This is just one of the several reasons why experience is a key factor for you when deciding which in-home care service is going to help your family out the most.
Also keep in mind that the National Institute of Health has some preset guidelines in place when it comes to the amount of calcium and Vitamin D that you should take in per day. These levels currently stand at 1,000 to 1,300 mg of calcium each day, and 600 to 800 IU of Vitamin D per day. Where you and your family members fall in this range needs to be determined on an individual basis. Sticking to this early on in your adult life and getting exercise–particularly resistance exercises like lifting weights–can help improve both bone and muscular health. This keeps your bones strong, and it keeps muscles strong. This helps to protect bones from injury if there is a fall, and because muscles are stronger, balance is better and weakness is not as big of an issue. These are things that can help you to prevent or minimize the damage that osteoporosis can do. You may also want to consult with a physician to see if prescription medications may help your elderly loved one’s situation, too.
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