Bone Health Care for Elders

My mother got a bone fracture a few months ago and the whole family went through trauma. Thanks God We found a good orthopedic surgeon who did the successful operation and we took a sigh of relief.Luckily the doctor was known to one of my close friends and looked after my mother very well. The aim of this post is that no other family should go through such agony. There is another important aspect the pain of bone fractures is rarely fully recovered and during the winter season, it is common that pain again starts in the affected parts, which may be ankle or hip joint. Treatment takes a lot of time, money, and resources. Even arrangement for blood takes a lot of effort.

Then I came to know that at an older stage bones become more brittle and may break more easily. This post is written for the guidance of all so that people take care of their parents and senior family members.

Guidelines:
I am suggesting a few guidelines which may help to reduce the damage:-

·       Elderly people above 80 years should preferably be moved under observation and with the assistance of some family member.

·       Prevention is better than cure because in old age it is difficult to complete all the tests for a major operation.

·       Use of a walking stick be made.

·       Moving from village to major city hospitals over 100 KM is also a painstaking affair. 

·       Doctors are reluctant to go for surgery due to weakness in the body.

·       One should not ever use a chair or stool to reach for something, even if it is a short stool.

·       It is always better to avoid going outside when it is raining or slippery track as the chances of falling are higher.

·       Be extra careful when taking a bath or using the toilet to avoid slipping.

·       Slipping and fracturing of the hip joint is most commonly caused while in the washroom.

·       While traveling particularly before using the restroom, make sure that the bathroom floor is dry and not slippery.

·       Extra Precautions should be taken while traveling as less medical care will be available.

·       Sitting in one position for long hours should be avoided.

·       Before heading to bed, make sure to dry the floor in the house and be extra cautious when it's wet.

·       Before standing up in the middle of the night, take a few minutes to sit on the bed.

·       Make sure to turn on the light before getting up.

·       Please do not close the toilet door from the inside, especially at night or during the day if possible.

·       For senior family members, it would be helpful to have an alarm bell installed in the toilet so that it can be pressed to alert family members in case of an emergency.

·       Senior citizens should be seated on a chair or bed and should be dressed in pants.

·       If you fall, try to stand with the support of your hands.

·       I highly encourage exercising, even if it's just taking a walk, as much as you can manage.

·       It is important to be extremely serious about maintaining a healthy weight within permissible limits. Obesity always has different issues.

·        The most important key is controlling your diet. It is common for women to eat leftovers. One should avoid it.

·        Give the leftover food to stray cows/goats or household animals as feed. You have complete control over keeping your weight in check with your mind.

·       Going upstairs should always be avoided as maybe attention is diverted and the elder person falls down.

·       For night Make sure stairways have handrails and good lighting.

·       Regular Check-up of your vision from your Doctor.

·       Another way is to engage in outdoor activities in a safe manner, as sun exposure helps the skin convert cholesterol into vitamin D.