Digestive disorders and aging
It is essential to realize our system gets weaker with age, Causing our elderly to suffer from various digestive disorders. Another critical point is that indigestion and constipation are common indications of a poor digestive system. Also, multiple factors explain why our elderly loved ones suffer from digestive disorders.
Factors of digestive disorders
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Health conditions
An inevitable part of old age. For one thing, several health conditions can significantly impact the digestive system of our elderly. As a result, this may eventually cause our elderly to suffer from alternate constipation and diarrhea.
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Metabolism
Gets sluggish and poor working. For this reason, as we age, our metabolism tends to get slower. As a result, we are giving rise to various digestive problems. It is essential to realize a slowed metabolism causes constipation, one of the most typical forms of pain suffered by the elderly population.
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Medicines
The known culprit. In addition to various medications that our elderly need to pop in during old age. It can cause constipation and even GI bleeding. Also, certain medications, such as:
- Pain relievers
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Calcium channel blockers
- Narcotic pain relievers
are all known to cause constipation in older adults.
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Weight gain
The common problem of old age. It is important to realize weight gain often became inevitable during the ancient period. Due to poor physical activity and slowed metabolism. In this case, fat deposition is usually more in the abdominal area, which causes our elderly loved ones to suffer from acid reflux and heartburn.
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Inactivity
Old age, buddy. With generations, arthritis becomes more unmanageable, causing our elderly to become inactive. Moreover, with age, otherwise healthy elderly individuals tend to become lethargic and succumb to a sedentary lifestyle. In both situations, inactivity almost kills our digestive power, paving the way for indigestion, dyspepsia, and other gastrointestinal disorders.
Types of digestive disorders in our elderly
An often overlooked point is that old age is not a pleasant journey for many seniors. Along with several degenerative diseases, their gut health also undergoes a decline. Here are some of the
common digestive disorders
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Constipation
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Diarrhea
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Indigestion
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Acid reflux
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Peptic ulcers
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Irritable bowel syndrome
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Hemorrhoids
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Heartburn
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Diverticulitis
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Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Tips for taking care of digestive disorders in the elderly
For this reason, digestive disorders often pose many problems for our elderly loved ones. The following tips can be of great help for our elderly to overcome digestive ailments.
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Make dietary changes
A high fiber, low carbohydrate diet ensures better digestion and eases bowel movements. To improve the fiber content of your diet, add more fruits and vegetables to your daily meal. In addition, a high-fiber diet ensures proper bowel clearance, thus reducing the chances of constipation.
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Add more fluids
Hydration is also essential for keeping our digestive system working fine. But, unfortunately, drinking more alcohol and coffee can make our elderly dehydrated. And therefore, we must encourage them to drink more water.
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Physical activity
Being physically active is the best way to keep your gut happy. However, due to ill health and advancing age, physical activity takes a back seat. And seniors gradually begin to enjoy the sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, it is necessary that, as caregivers, we encourage our seniors to exercise. And stay physically fit so their digestive system remains in a good state.
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Beverages
Tea, coffee, aerated drinks, and alcohol cause dehydration. Do not take in excess and enjoy in moderation.
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Medications
Many medications have adverse side effects in our gut. And significantly impact the functioning of the digestive system. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss all the drugs with the doctor before you give them to your elderly loved ones. In addition, it is also essential that you regularly discuss all the medications with your doctor at regular intervals.
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Pay attention to the warning signs.
As caregivers, you must carefully take note of all the symptoms your elderly are experiencing. Do not ignore a chronic stomach ache, bleeding, diarrhea, sudden weight loss, and unexplained fatigue. Instead, take the necessary steps and demand a thorough medical examination.
Finally, all the tips mentioned above are sure to help your seniors overcome the problem of digestive disorders. Also, please enable them to lead a healthy life. For more information, check out this site.
