Low energy levels can feel brutal for your senior. She may be used to staying busy, but suddenly find that she doesn’t want to do much of anything. Unfortunately, that’s a self-continuing problem because the less she does, the less she’s going to want to do. Here are some ideas for keeping your elderly family member’s energy levels higher.
Address Hydration Needs
Literally every single part of your elderly family member’s body thrives on getting enough water. Everything from the tiniest cell to every organ needs proper hydration. If your senior isn’t getting enough water, she can gradually increase her water intake until she gets to optimal levels. Talk with her doctor about what her ultimate hydration goal should be.
See About Movement
Another conversation to have with your senior’s doctor is how much movement is right for her. It’s also important to understand if certain types of movement are off the table for her, for health reasons or because of other issues. When your senior starts being more active again, she may find that her energy levels increase much more quickly than she expects.
Prioritize Sleeping Better
Better sleep comes from moving more and generally being healthier, but if she’s still having trouble, you and your senior might want to talk about what’s getting in the way. If she’s worried about needing help overnight, elder care providers can be there for her. Another possible problem could be that her sleep hygiene is off a bit. That could mean that she isn’t consistent with her sleep habits or that she is doing things like having caffeine too late in the day to sleep well at night. Making changes can give her a big energy boost.
Work on Stress Reduction
Stress can seriously sap your senior’s energy. She might say she doesn’t have much to be stressed about, but that isn’t always the biggest factor that keeps someone stressed out. Your elderly family member may be concerned about how she’s going to keep doing some of the things she needs and wants to do, like driving or keeping her home as clean as she wants to. Elder care providers can step in and assist with some of those tasks, giving your elderly family member a few less things to worry about.
Consider Ways to Help Her Rest
Rest is about more than just sleep, too. And if your senior is finding that keeping her home and her life going means that she’s expending a lot more time and energy with those tasks, she might need more help. Elder care professionals are able to help with the tasks that are truly taxing for your senior, allowing her to conserve her energy for other activities.
There might be some other ways that you and your elderly family member can boost her energy levels from barely there to thriving. Talk with her about what she’s experiencing and about what challenges are making it more difficult for her to live the life that she wants to live. From there you can start trying other solutions.
If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Huntley, MT, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Billings today. 406-839-2390
