Vitamin D is important for every person, but it might be a lot more important for your aging family member than you or she realize. With your help and the help of in-home care, your senior can improve her vitamin D levels with these tips. Here’s what you need to know about vitamin D and what it can do for your parent.
Vitamin D Helps the Immune System
Too little vitamin D causes problems in your senior’s immune system. When your elderly family member isn’t getting enough vitamin D, she might feel run down more often, leaving her more susceptible to germs her body would otherwise be able to fight off much more easily. If that does describe your senior, it’s a good idea to talk to her doctor about what might help.
It Also Works with Calcium to Strengthen Bones
Calcium is vital for strong, healthy bones. But it’s not the only nutrient that helps. Vitamin D also helps to keep your senior’s bones strong. If she’s consistently got low levels of vitamin D, that can cause health problems that lead to osteoporosis, or at least to weakening of your senior’s bones. Your senior’s doctor can help her to determine the right course of action if she is at risk of developing osteoporosis.
Vitamin D Has a Role in Brain Health
In-Home Care in St. Petersburg FLAnother big concern regarding vitamin D and seniors is brain health. Vitamin D is a crucial part of keeping your aging family member’s brain functioning properly, including emotional regulation and cognition. Having too little vitamin D can make brain functioning much more difficult than it has to be, and it can also cause your aging family member to worry that she might be developing dementia. Getting vitamin D levels back where they need to be can be enough to reverse troublesome symptoms that have your elderly family member concerned.
How Can Your Senior Get More Vitamin D?
One of the easiest ways for your elderly family member to get more vitamin D is to spend a little more time out in the sun. Dietary sources of vitamin D, like eggs, fatty fish, and liver, are also excellent. Your elderly family member may find that as she’s getting her vitamin D levels back on track, it’s helpful to have in-home care providers assisting her. Elder care providers can help as much or as little as your senior needs, especially with things like cooking, handling daily household tasks, and reminding her to follow her care plan.
How In-Home Care Can Help
If you or your senior wonder whether her vitamin D levels are too low, it’s easy to get a blood test from your senior’s doctor. Once you’ve got the results, your aging family member’s doctor will put together a plan of action for her to follow. Some care plans may be more complicated than others, with a variety of new steps added to your senior’s routine. In-home care providers can help tremendously with making sure your elderly family member is able to keep up with that type of plan.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring In-Home Care in St. Petersburg, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.
