For many people in our country, weight loss is often seen as a positive change. It can help an overweight individual reach a healthier weight, improve overall health, and even boost self-esteem for those struggling with body image. However, achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle sometimes requires additional support, which is where personal care at home services can make a big difference.

That said, weight loss isn’t always intentional. If your loved one starts losing weight without trying, it may initially seem like a good thing, but continued, unprompted weight loss is often an early sign that something more serious could be happening within their body and requires immediate attention.

What is an Unhealthy Weight Loss

Most people experience some weight fluctuations from week to week or even day to day. However, unexpected weight loss can raise concerns, especially if someone loses five percent of their body weight over several months without any changes to their diet or activity levels. In such cases, personal care at home services can play a crucial role in monitoring and managing health changes, particularly for seniors.

This is especially important if your elderly loved one was already underweight, as sudden weight loss can pose serious health risks.

Five Weight Loss Causes in the Elderly

1. A serious medical condition: Health conditions that are more common in the elderly, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease, can all lead to weight loss as the body’s energy is put toward battling the disease and uses up a lot of calories in the process.
2. Cognitive health issues: Diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can cause a person to neglect their health by forgetting to eat or by eating only foods that are not packed with enough calories.
3. Depression: If your loved one is depressed, he may stop eating or slow down his eating too much. He might not have the ability to gather up enough energy to make a meal.
4. Change in taste: Some medications can cause food to taste bad, making eating extremely unpleasant. Taste buds can also change over the years, decreasing the enjoyment found in food.
5. Dental problems: A bad toothache or poorly fitting dentures can make eating painful and lead your loved one to avoid eating completely.

Putting Weight Back On With Personal Care at Home

Once your loved one’s doctor helps him determine what is causing the weight loss, you can work with his personal care at home provider to help him stop the weight loss and possibly reverse it. If it is due to a serious medical condition, that condition will need to be treated, and that may be the priority, but oftentimes, working with your loved one’s medical team, you can find out what types of food are best for him to maintain a healthy weight as he goes through treatment.

When you provide those diet recommendations to his personal care at home team, they can work with him to create meals and snacks that will not only help him gain weight but also help in his recovery.

A personal care at home team can also help your loved one explore other foods that may appeal to him that he hasn’t considered before, creating more comfort and enjoyment in his eating. With their support, your loved one will be more successful in returning to a healthy weight that’ll give him the needed vitamins and nutrients for better health.

If you or an aging loved one is considering Personal Care at Home in Air Force Academy, CO, please contact the caring staff at Talem Home Care & Placement Services of Colorado Springs, CO, today. Call (719) 639-2663

At Talem Home Care & Placement Services of Colorado Springs CO, we provide passionate, understanding, and flexible caregivers in Colorado Springs, Air Force Academy, Black Forest, Cimarron Hills, Fort Carson, Gleneagle, Larkspur, Manitou Springs, Monument, Palmer Lake, Perry Park, Rock Creek Park, Security-Widefield, Stratmoor, and Woodmoor and surrounding areas in Colorado.

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Talem Home Care & Placement Services

Talem Home Care and Placement Services is extremely honored to be included as a top 500 franchise system. Talem Home Care strives to be recognized for providing effective, quality, and innovative community-based long-term care and support programs for our patients. We develop select and elite franchise partners who are family and community minded and share our philosophy, values, and partnership approach. We build relationships with our franchisees based on personalized support, shared decision making, and mutual respect

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