Why Is Vitamin B12 Important for Your Senior?
Vitamin B12 is a common nutrient in foods like poultry, fish, eggs, and even milk. But your elderly family member might be developing a deficiency in this really important nutrient. Older adults often have more difficulty absorbing vitamin B12 from the foods that they eat, especially if they’re taking a lot of antacids or have issues with their intestinal tract.
Elderly Care in Mobile AL: Importance of Vitamin B12
What Does B12 Do?
Vitamin B12 is key in making red blood cells and keeping nerve cells working well. It’s also useful in supporting bone health, keeping the immune system healthy, and helping your senior’s brain to work well. These are some really vital benefits, and when your aging family member isn’t getting enough B12, her body has a tougher time in a lot of different ways.
Issues Due to Vitamin B12 Deficiency
If your senior is deficient in vitamin B12, she’s more likely to develop anemia. B12 helps her body to make red blood cells, so when it’s not there her body can’t keep up with red blood cell production which leads immediately to anemia. Because nerve cells rely on B12, your elderly family member might start to develop neuropathy, which includes numbness or tingling in extremities as well as difficulty with balance and mobility.
Symptoms of B12 Deficiency
Your elderly family member might not know right away that she’s not getting enough vitamin B12. The symptoms of B12 deficiency can be subtle and can show up slowly. Your elderly family member might notice that she’s tired more often or that she’s short of breath. That’s a sign that she’s dealing with anemia because of lower red blood cell counts. Your senior may also start to develop memory problems or have trouble walking.
Talk to Your Senior’s Doctor
Any time you’re noticing any symptoms that are new or unusual, it’s important to talk to your senior’s doctor about what’s going on. Her doctor can run some blood tests to determine exactly what’s wrong. Thankfully, vitamin B12 deficiency is easy to overcome. Your senior might need a shot or two of vitamin B12 and her doctor may recommend dietary changes and oral supplementation.
It can be tough to keep up with those changes, though, especially if your senior’s memory issues are becoming something that makes her a little nervous. Having a caregiver there with her to remind her to eat healthy meals and follow her care plan can help immensely.
If you or someone you know needs Elderly Care in Mobile, AL, please contact the friendly caregivers at Hughes Home Care. We provide quality and affordable care for your elderly loved ones in our community. Call Us Today 251-517-9901. Serving Mobile & Baldwin County.
He has three teenage children and are actively involved in their church and community – James coach’s youth football, basketball and baseball and serves at 3 Circle Church. He is a member of the Fairhope Youth Football Board and the Rock Creek POA Board.
It is his passion and commitment to providing quality and responsive service that has made their company the fastest growing home care agency in South Alabama.
He believes that being an independently owned and operated company gives him the flexibility to manage his business in a way that better serves their clients.
He understands that you have a choice of care providers and he will do his utmost to earn your trust.
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