Frailty is often thought of as a normal part of aging, but in reality it isn’t. It is a condition marked by loss of function, strength, and physiologic reserve.
The five physical signs and symptoms of frailty include weakness marked by grip strength, weight loss of 5% or more body weight in the last year, exhaustion, slow walking speed, and decreased physical activity. When three of these five signs and symptoms are present, they characterize frailty.
Studies have shown that even very frail patients in long-term care facilities benefit from resistance exercises such as weight lifting or weight-bearing exercises of the large skeletal muscle groups.
Baby boomers have begun to enter their senior years, and they’re changing the current perception of the term older adult. Membership in fitness centers and activities such as bicycling and walking are a part of life for a great many older adults who’ve embraced healthy habits and physical activity programs such as cardio, yoga, and tai chi.Combining weight loss with exercise has a greater impact on frailty than either intervention alone.
As the aging population increases, nurses will be navigators of evidence-based interventions in revising the myth of inevitable frailty. Our role will include educating our patients about proactive self-care and routine medical management, guiding these boomers through their senior years.
About Cleansing Water, Inc.
Cleansing Water, Inc. is a Warrenton, Virginia home health care agency offering professional geriatric care and serving seniors, individuals recovering from surgery, individuals with long-term disabilities, and other clients throughout Fauquier, Culpeper, Gainesville, Haymarket, Middleburg, Prince William, Rappahannock and other Piedmont Virginia communities. We provide in-home companions, certified nursing assistants, and geriatric care managers to assist with the tasks of daily living, monitor health and medications, and ensure clients are well cared for, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
For more information about Cleansing Water’s short-term and long-term home health care services, Call (540) 341-0212 or our toll-free number, (866) 294-4665, to schedule a consultation and discuss your geriatric care and home health care options. You can also visit CleansingWater.com for more information.