Aging brings about a lot of changes in the human body. This includes changes in one’s bones, muscles, and joints. In turn, posture and gait changes become common with aging.
The skeleton provides support and structure to our bodies. Joints are the areas where bones come together. These allow the skeleton to be flexible for movement. In a joint, bones don’t directly come into contact with each other, instead, they are cushioned by cartilage, synovial membranes, and fluid.
The elderly lose bone mass or density easily, especially senior women after menopause. Bones lose calcium and other minerals, too. With aging, the middle of the body or the trunk becomes shorter as the disks gradually lose fluid and become thinner. The spinal column then becomes compressed and curved. Long bones of the arms and legs become brittle and this makes them appear longer compared with the shortened trunk.
Joints become stiffer and less flexible as fluid in them decreases. Lean body mass decreases, which is also caused by muscle atrophy. All of these changes can lead to inflammation, pain, stiffness, and deformity. The posture may also become more bent while the knees and hips become more flexed. In totality, movement can become limited. This is why non-medical home care services are needed by some seniors who are deeply affected by these changes.
With assistance at home, like the personal care in North Carolina we offer, seniors can go about their daily living tasks easier. With mobility assistance, seniors will no longer need to suffer doing things alone at home.
The best prevention of adverse effects of these changes is still exercise and a well-balanced diet. Call our home care in Jacksonville, North Carolina today! We, at Changing Lives Homecare, are always ready to help.