Why All the Talk About Aging? – Part 2

The talk about aging is becoming more relevant than ever, as we expect a significant number of baby boomers to reach their 60s in the upcoming years. As a caregiver, you will find yourself caring for more older clients in the future, and one of the best ways to supercharge your career as a caregiver is to learn all you can about aging and how expected changes can guide the way you provide care.

In the Part 1 blog about aging, we talked about changes in the eyes, ears, bones, muscles, and skin as we reach old age. Those changes alert us to certain needs that must be met in older clients.

Here are more changes to expect:

1. Circulatory system

In older people, the heart and blood vessels become stiffer so that pumping and circulating blood becomes more difficult. The heart also takes more time to fill with blood.

Caregiver alert: Blood pressure tends to increase in the elderly, which can possibly lead to stroke and other complications. The heart has more difficulty adjusting to a sudden increase in activity, so older people tire easily. Provide rest periods in between series of activities. Avoid serving foods that are high in saturated fats or bad cholesterol, which tend to stick to the walls of the arteries and block blood flow.

2. Digestive system

The stomach empties more slowly into the small intestines. The digestive tract has less of the substance that digests milk. The bowels are slower. The liver also becomes smaller and less efficient in removing toxic materials from the blood.

Caregiver alert: Older people tend to feel full for longer periods of time. Avoid giving your older clients and loved ones large meals. Small, frequent, nutrient-rich meals are best. Also, because the elderly have less of the substance that can digest milk, they can feel bloated or have diarrhea when they drink milk or eat cheese. If this is the case with your client, limit their intake of milk while providing other sources of protein and calcium, the nutrients found in dairy products.

Slower bowels lead to constipation, so provide a diet rich in fiber and other nutrients, such as those found in fruits and vegetables, because these foods help the bowels move faster.

The less-than-efficient liver will have more difficulty processing drugs in the blood, so the medications that older people take stay in their blood much longer than in adults. Caregivers helping older and confused clients take their medications must be alert for double-dosing or unintentionally taking a due medicine twice because of forgetfulness.

3. Urinary system
In advanced age, the kidneys become less efficient in removing waste from the blood and may remove more water from the body than usual. The bladder becomes stiffer and weaker and may empty uncontrollably. The sphincters, or the valves that hold urination, do not work properly.

Caregiver alert: Waste products in the blood may increase in older people because of kidney changes. Together with the problems of an aging liver, medications remain in the blood longer so caregivers need to be alert for double-dosing as explained earlier. Older people are also prone to dehydration, so offer them water more often.

The bladder leak urine. Faulty sphincters cause urge incontinence wherein they pass urine before the person can get to the toilet on time. Caregivers need to be patient when helping older people with incontinence. They can offer support by giving them choices of undergarments to wear. They must also help the clients clean their private parts after each incontinent episode.

4. Immune system

Older clients have weaker immune systems, so they cannot adequately fight off diseases such as pneumonia, flu, and cancer.

Caregiver alert: Caregivers can help strengthen the immunity of older clients by providing them with the right diet, keeping them hydrated, and encouraging them to exercise. They can also offer support when it is time for their patient's flu vaccine.

Aging brings a lot of changes to a person’s life, most of which may be difficult to accept and adjust to. Caring for older clients should remind us to be humble enough to accept the reality that we, too, will someday have the same needs as we age. As a caregiver, you play a special role in an older client’s life by helping make their challenges easier to overcome.