Four Big Reasons Your Senior Is Suddenly Losing Weight

By Jessica Ott | March 19, 2020 |

If your elderly family member is trying to lose weight, you might not be too surprised to see her succeed with that goal. But if she’s suddenly losing weight and she’s not trying, that can point to a bigger problem.

Health Changes Are Affecting Her Appetite

Home Health Care Littlestown PA – Four Big Reasons Your Senior Is Suddenly Losing Weight

Health changes have a tremendous impact on your senior’s desire and ability to eat. If she’s experiencing changes to her health or if she’s dealing with side effects from her medications, she’s much more likely to have trouble eating. That trouble is often reflected in unintended weight loss. It’s important to bring this up with her doctor, especially if you’re certain that her appetite changes are related to her existing health issues.

Her Eating Habits Are Off in General

Something else to consider might be that your senior’s eating habits may just be less than healthy. It’s really easy to get into bad habits with food, especially if it’s complicated or difficult to stock up on healthy foods and then cook those foods. Talk to your elderly family member about why she might be eating less healthy meals and see what you might put in place as a solution. Hiring home health care providers to tackle the cooking end of things can sometimes be a helpful answer, for example.

Or She’s Just Stopped Eating

Something else that happens is that aging adults stop eating much at all. Your elderly family member might not even see it that way until you point it out. She may find that cooking and other related tasks are just too much for her to keep up with, so she just doesn’t deal with them. Or she might be experiencing other issues, like depression, and her appetite has completely disappeared. This is something you need to get to the bottom of as quickly as possible.

Food Doesn’t Taste the Same

Along with other changes your senior may experience, she may find that food doesn’t taste how she expects it to taste. That can put her off of eating, even if she’s hungry. She may complain that all of the food that she tries is bland or has a strange taste, no matter what it is. This can happen as a side effect of medications, or it can happen because your elderly family member’s senses are changing. It’s worth talking to her doctor about possible solutions.

Whenever your elderly family member experiences symptoms that you’re not expecting, talk to her doctor. Some of the situations that she may be encountering could be ones that you can find an answer for quickly.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Health Care Services in Littlestown PA, please talk to us. Our friendly staff can answer all of your questions. In-home Senior Care in Adams and York Counties, PA. Call Today: (717) 698-8258.

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Jessica Ott

Owner at A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC

Jessica Ott is the Owner at A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC.

A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC is dedicated to providing our clients with a better quality of life through our support services while maintaining their independence in the comfort of their own home.

As a Home Care Agency licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, we can provide families with peace of mind, knowing their loved one is in good hands.

We will work with you to prepare a care plan that incorporates your needs, your wishes, and your preferred schedule. Each client is matched with a caregiver who can best meet their individual needs, whether they reside in a house, apartment, condominium, assisted living, or nursing community.