Often brushed off as a lack of energy, fatigue can become debilitating if it’s an indication of a more serious underlying concern, especially if you’re an older adult. This feeling of extreme weakness affects each individual differently and has many causes. With that being said, let’s explore some of the most common causes of fatigue in your loved one.
Signs of Extreme Fatigue
Fatigue in older adults can be inherently tricky to understand. It’s can easily be overlooked as an age-related issue and assumed to be natural. However, many times there is a specific cause being overlooked. Exploring the signs as they happen is essential to help them feel better, and these include:
- Mood swings
- Oversleeping
- Lack of motivation
- Napping throughout the day
- Complaints of tiredness
- Anger outbursts
Causes of Extreme Fatigue
If your loved one seems easily agitated and more tired than usual for extended periods, it could be coming from extreme fatigue. You may notice that they have been laughing less, experiencing low moods, and sleeping more than ever while never feeling fully rested. On top of the hormonal changes that accompany the aging process, there exists a variety of common medical causes that you as a caregiver can look out for. These could include:
- Thyroid problems – If your elderly loved one has been visibly gaining weight, experiencing hair fall, and feeling fatigued, it could be due to their thyroid.
- Anemia – As a condition caused by the lack of red blood cells in the body, anemia can make your loved one feel drained all the time.
- Hypercalcemia disorders – Higher blood calcium can cause mood swings, exhaustion, and fatigue due to issues with one’s parathyroid glands.
- Cancer – This can cause fatigue for a variety of reasons like treatment and weight loss. In many cancer medications, it is known that fatigue is a huge side effect.
The Best Ways to Help
When the cause of your loved one’s fatigue is known, it is relatively straightforward to start getting help. Since fatigue is often caused by one’s overall well-being, it is helpful to be aware of these holistic approaches:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – This uses a one-on-one or group structured system to encourage rational thinking through working through one’s thoughts.
- Mindfulness practices – Creating a daily routine based on living in the moment can improve one’s spirits and outlook in life, leading them to make healthier choices when it comes to diet, sleep, and lifestyle.
- Regular exercise – Adding more physical activity to your loved one’s daily routine has been shown to reduce feelings of anxiety, depression, or stress that could be attributed to fatigue.
We encourage you to bring your loved one to the doctor for a more holistic assessment, so they can receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Why Choose Discovery Village At Westchase?
It’s never too late to help your loved one combat exhaustion or fatigue by seeking medical help. Our team members at Discovery Village At Westchase are professionally trained to spot such symptoms and emotions, so your loved one will be able to get help and navigate through life better.
To learn more about living in Discovery Village At Westchase, feel free to contact us today!
