Home Health Aide: Digestion
The three most common digestive disorders in American seniors are constipation, diverticulosis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). WebMD estimates that nearly 40 percent of seniors over 60 will experience at least one of these disorders.
There are many different causes behind digestive disorders in seniors. However, there are some common lifestyle changes that can significantly improve most of them. For example, smoking weakens the muscular flap (esophageal sphincter) that prevents stomach acid from splashing up into the esophagus. By eliminating smoking from their lives, seniors cannot only reduce their risks and instances of GERD, but they also decrease the risk of peptic ulcers and even stomach cancer. …show more content…
A common side effect of many of them is constipation or other digestive problems. When these medications are mixed, the chances of problems increases exponentially. A home health aide can help your senior loved one with their medication management. Not only does this ensure medications are taken when and how they were prescribed, but a home health aide can help identify digestion problems associated with the medications.
Many seniors with advanced disorders require assistance eating. During the eating process, proper positioning is critical to effective digestion. Home health aides take great care to ensure your loved one is properly positioned and had correct posture while eating. Eating support also includes breaking meals into many smaller servings instead of a few larger meals. This gives the body a chance to break down the food and start it along the digestive path before more food is added. Smaller bite sizes also give the lower saliva levels and less potent stomach acid time to prepare and digest food.
If your senior loved one has a digestive disorder, know that they are not alone. More importantly, know that with a few lifestyle changes and a little home health aide support they can overcome
The three most common digestive disorders in American seniors are constipation, diverticulosis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). WebMD estimates that nearly 40 percent of seniors over 60 will experience at least one of these disorders.
There are many different causes behind digestive disorders in seniors. However, there are some common lifestyle changes that can significantly improve most of them. For example, smoking weakens the muscular flap (esophageal sphincter) that prevents stomach acid from splashing up into the esophagus. By eliminating smoking from their lives, seniors cannot only reduce their risks and instances of GERD, but they also decrease the risk of peptic ulcers and even stomach cancer. …show more content…
A common side effect of many of them is constipation or other digestive problems. When these medications are mixed, the chances of problems increases exponentially. A home health aide can help your senior loved one with their medication management. Not only does this ensure medications are taken when and how they were prescribed, but a home health aide can help identify digestion problems associated with the medications.
Many seniors with advanced disorders require assistance eating. During the eating process, proper positioning is critical to effective digestion. Home health aides take great care to ensure your loved one is properly positioned and had correct posture while eating. Eating support also includes breaking meals into many smaller servings instead of a few larger meals. This gives the body a chance to break down the food and start it along the digestive path before more food is added. Smaller bite sizes also give the lower saliva levels and less potent stomach acid time to prepare and digest food.
If your senior loved one has a digestive disorder, know that they are not alone. More importantly, know that with a few lifestyle changes and a little home health aide support they can overcome