Decreased strength is something that a lot of aging adults face at some point. Your elderly family member might have lost strength due to an illness, an injury, or simply because moving is difficult for her to do. Addressing the underlying factors contributing to her loss of strength can help your senior to become more mobile and may even help her to regain some of what she has lost.
Assess the Causes of Decreased Strength
What’s causing your senior to lose her strength? Often part of the problem is that your elderly family member isn’t as physically active as she used to be. She may have physical ailments, like arthritis or COPD, that cause her to move less often. Understanding these causes is important so that you can put plans in place that help your elderly family member to remain as independent as possible.
Talk to Her Doctor about Appropriate Exercises
If you haven’t already, talk to your senior about what exercises are appropriate for your senior’s situation. Even if her mobility is hampered, chair exercises or exercises in bed can help to slow the muscle loss she may be experiencing. If there are other solutions, such as medications or assistive devices, that might help it’s a good idea to consider those as well.
Consider Physical Therapy
Many seniors find that physical therapy can do more for them than they thought was possible. Physical therapists look at your senior’s individual situation and needs and then craft a personalized plan for her. They can help her to move safely and to gradually increase the activities that she does on a regular basis. She may find that she’s able to regain some of her strength.
Enlist Help if Your Senior Has Mobility Concerns
Mobility concerns are a huge safety risk. Your senior needs to know that she has experienced help and you need to be able to trust that she’s safe. Hiring senior care providers to help your elderly family member with mobility can take care of both of those needs in one fell swoop. Senior care providers can also help with transportation needs, meal preparation, and personal care tasks, all while being a friendly companion for your senior.
If your aging family member has lost quite a bit of her strength, that can make her feel feeble and weak. Taking proactive steps can help her to feel confident again in her own abilities.
