When fluids build up in the tissues of the arms, legs, and feet, it is called edema. Edema can happen to anyone at any time but often becomes a chronic condition for the elderly, especially if they are battling other health issues as well. 24-hour home care can help.
While mild cases of edema usually go away on their own, more severe cases can be long-lasting and cause discomfort for the person with it. It can lead to an inability to do certain activities or wear certain clothes.
Common Causes of Edema in the Elderly
- Weakened blood valves that struggle to push blood back to the heart.
- Other health conditions like heart failure, thyroid disease, and kidney disease
- Eating a diet high in sodium.
- Spending too much time in one position, such as sitting or lying down.
Symptoms of Edema
As fluid builds up in an area of the body, your elderly loved one, you, or 24-hour home care providers will likely notice these symptoms.
- That portion of the body looks bigger than before or bigger than its counterpart. For example, the fingers on one hand may be much larger than the other.
- The skin will look stretched and shiny. Your loved one may complain that it feels like it’s getting pulled and moving is difficult.
- The area may be tender to the touch and feel warm.
- Areas may not be as flexible, so if the swelling is in the ankles, your loved one may struggle to walk as her ankles cannot bend like they should.
- It can cause trouble breathing or lead to coughing if in the chest.
Five Tips to Reduce Edema
The key is to reduce the amount of fluids that are building up in an area of the body. Your senior loved one can take these steps to try to reduce fluid build-up at home.
- Reduce the amount of salt in her diet. She may need to go on a low-sodium diet. She should review ingredients and avoid items that are high in sodium. Some are sneaky, so reading food labels is a must.
- Don’t sit or stand in one place for long periods. Regularly stretch out legs by taking short walks.
- When sitting or lying down, elevate the areas that swell to be above the heart level.
- Wear compression sleeves or socks. These products put pressure on parts of the body to keep fluids from building up in those areas.
- Stay hydrated. By not drinking enough, the body will actively work to store fluids. Drinking plenty of fluids keeps the body on course to remove them.
24-hour Home Care Services Can Help with Managing Edema
If your elderly loved one’s edema is a result of a health issue like kidney disease or congestive heart failure, she may need to always be taking steps to keep her edema under control. In those cases, it’s often best to have someone or a team help implement daily strategies like a lower sodium diet, like 24-hour home care.
A 24-hour home care team can assist your loved one with all of her meals so that the food she eats doesn’t increase the risk of her edema getting worse. 24-hour home care team members will follow the physician’s orders for the best diet for her as well as help her make healthy daily choices while managing her chronic disease as well as the edema that comes with it.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring 24-Hour Home Care in Vallejo, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
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