7 Tips for Helping an Elderly Family Member Cope with an Osteoporosis Diagnosis

Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become very brittle and fragile, usually from too little calcium and other important minerals. Bones in this state can easily break, even from the simplest activities. Although osteoporosis is more common in women, it does sometimes occur in men. Growing older can be a very difficult thing to deal with, but with the addition of a potentially crippling condition like osteoporosis, it can be very devastating for an elderly person to deal with. One thing that can help your loved one to better deal with osteoporosis is having supportive friends and family. The following 7 tips may also help your elderly loved one to better deal with an osteoporosis diagnosis.

Adhere to your doctor's treatment - there are many different types of medications that your doctor may prescribe to treat your loved one's osteoporosis, and in order for the chosen medication to work effectively, it must be taken as prescribed. If your loved one should experience any adverse side effects, as with any medication, the doctor should be contacted prior to discontinuing the medication.

Limit alcohol - studies have shown that alcohol has a negative effect on osteoporosis, so you might want to have your loved one keep his or her alcohol consumption to a minimum.

Stop smoking - Although Mayo Clinic studies have discovered that tobacco products may exacerbate osteoporosis, they are not yet sure exactly how this occurs. Despite the fact that it isn't clear exactly how tobacco negatively affects osteoporosis, your loved one should avoid this substance.

Become more active - Living a sedentary lifestyle is not good for osteoporosis, and elderly people who suffer from this condition can greatly benefit from regular exercise, which will help to rebuild healthy new bones.

Education - Your loved one should try to learn as much as he or she possibly can about osteoporosis. The more educated a person is, the better able he or she is will be to deal with the condition, and he or she will also understand how to improve the condition, since it is never too late to start rebuilding new bones.

Corticosteroids - These types of medications which are prescribed for many different types of conditions, including autoimmune diseases, skin problems and breathing disorders, are known to worsen osteoporosis. Unless it's absolutely necessary that your loved one take a corticosteroid type drug, should a doctor prescribe it, you might want to ask the doctor if there is an alternate medication that can be taken instead.

Limit stress - Stress has been proven to deplete the body (and bones) of the necessary amounts of calcium, therefore worsening the condition. This is why it's imperative that your loved one keep his or her stress levels to a minimum. It doesn't matter what the cause of the stress is, any type of stress needs to be eliminated, or at least minimized as much as possible.

References:

Mayo Clinic - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/osteoporosis/DS00128

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/osteoporosis/DS00128/DSECTION=risk-factors

Internet Health Library - http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/Health-problems/Osteoporosis-researchDiet&Lifestyle.htm#Stress