Various authentic sources of medical survey reports state that the septuagenarians and the octogenarians are quite vulnerable to Sarcopenia. The risk further increases for those who are underweight and do not lead an active lifestyle. The analysis was carried out on each participant’s health check up and data of their cough circumference and hand grip strength.
Those with Sarcopenia were noticed to exhibit a higher degree of frailty even after the health check up reports were suggested normal. The signs of frailty included decreased cognitive function, reduced activity and exercise levels and increased tendency to stay indoors. In case you have questions, frailty is described as an early indicator that helps us understand whether a person is becoming bedridden and requires senior care services at home
To determine this and confirm the possibilities of Sarcopenia in older adults there were numerous studies that were conducted. Given below are some of the points that you should know about the research on the same.
Supplementary explanation on the research
The research was aimed at understanding the risk of Sarcopenia in septuagenarians and octogenarians who lead an inactive lifestyle or are underweight. The research also deals with understanding frailty and how Sarcopenia and lack of exercise contributed to the condition. Explained below is the definition of the two terms the research deals with –
Sarcopenia is described as a condition that is characterized by an age-dependent decline in the mass of muscles, the activity levels and the physical functions. Such conditions often reduce the healthy life expectancy of the individual. Sarcopenia often leads to broken bones, falls, difficulty in walking or immobility. It has been proven that an individual’s muscle mass reaches its peak between the ages of 25 and 30 and then starts to decline.
The decline further accelerates once the individual hits the age of 65. Nevertheless, one can delay the progression of Sarcopenia by leading a healthy and active lifestyle and through exercise training.
Frailty is a condition that is characterized by age-related deterioration of both physical health and mental well-being. People suffering tend to housebound themselves and withdraw from society. It is best described as the state between having good health and requiring nursing care. Fortunately, frailty is a reversible condition and can be treated by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, with a balanced diet, proper exercises and increasing social engagement.
You can choose to avail services like physiotherapy at home regularly for the elderly to reduce the chances of bone weakness and unwanted injury.
This is essential because people suffering from Sarcopenia are more inclined to experience frailty.
Main points of the research
The significant points about the research includes –
The research also claimed that apart from regular health check-ups, it is important to measure the muscle strength and muscle mass of individuals above the age of 65 to prevent such conditions.
The research background
As per the research, frailty can serve as an early indication that the aged person might require at-home nursing care as both mental and physical health might be deteriorating. Frailty is mostly accompanied by severe decline in physical and cognitive functions and at times deterioration in muscle mass and strength, the condition that is termed as Sarcopenia.
However, there is still a lack of detailed information about the prevalence of Sarcopenia as the diagnosis requires special measuring equipment making it difficult to be diagnosed at a regular clinic during scheduled medical check up. This is why it is important to reach out to a doctor at the early stages of physical deterioration to prevent prevailing conditions such as sarcopenia.
Back in 2019, a fresh set of diagnostic criteria was introduced by the Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty (JASF). This makes it further easier to diagnose the possibility of Sarcopenia and reduce Frailty along with the need for at-home nursing care at the earliest stages in elderly people.
Now that you have a detailed view on Sarcopenia, it is important to give the elderly proper treatment and assistance to deal with such conditions. Having said that, you can opt for a diagnosis at home for elderly to understand whether your aged parents are dealing with such conditions or not.
To avail such services, you can get in touch with the leading geriatric care service providers such as Rising Care. We offer you with the best geriatric care services to help your convalescent aged parents speed up the recovery. We also offer 24X7 senior care at home to assist older adults with their regular chores and also help them fight their daily battles both mentally and physically.
Thus, if you want to help your older adults age gracefully and happily, get in touch with us today!
