Why Isn’t Your Senior Moving Around as Much?

Elderly Care Glenview IL - Why Isn’t Your Senior Moving Around as Much?

If your senior isn’t moving around as well or as often as she used to, that could be a bigger red flag than you realize. There are some big reasons why she might be restricting her own mobility. Understanding those reasons and what they mean is important for you as her caregiver. 

She’s Worried about the Possibility of Getting Hurt 

Your brain might go to all sorts of possible calamities, but there might not be anything wrong, yet. Your senior might be more worried about what could happen than she is about anything that has actually happened. That fear can cause her to immobilize herself, just in case she might do something that causes her to experience an injury. When she does need to be mobile, though, she may have created a self-fulfilling prophecy for herself. 

Old Aches and Pains Are Acting Up 

Old injuries can act up and that might cause your senior to move a little gingerly or reserve movement for necessary activities. This is especially true during colder weather or when there’s a storm brewing. Your elderly family member may be perfectly familiar with this, though, especially if the injuries are much older ones that have acted up for a long time. 

Her Muscle Tone Is Decreasing 

If your elderly family member has lost muscle tone and strength, that makes moving difficult. Unfortunately, that’s a self-fulfilling prophecy because if it’s difficult to move and she moves less, she’s also going to continue losing muscle tone. Her doctor may recommend that your senior starts an exercise program. She doesn’t have to do anything complicated to slow down the muscle loss that she’s experiencing. 

She’s Had a Fall  

You may not know if your elderly family member has had a minor fall already or not. But if she has fallen, that can make her feel uncomfortable moving more, just in case she falls again and it’s worse than the first one. Falls are scary and they can really cause your senior to start to think about her mortality. She’s also doubled her chances of falling again if she’s fallen once. 

When you start to notice that your elderly family member is having trouble with mobility, it might be time to get her some more help. Make sure that you also talk with her doctor, but it could be essential to hire elderly care providers now to assist her with large and small tasks that are giving her difficulty. 

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elderly Care Services in Glenview IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823. 

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