My Mum is ageing really fast...

[MunkyNuts]

My Mum always used to seem really young for her age, she´s now 69 and in the last few years she has aged rapidly, she´s become quite doddery and seems like she´s 10 years older than she really is. She went to the doctor for advice about her balance and suggested to him she might have osteoporosis, she was tested and they said she had a mild onset and needed to take calcium. I think her hearing is getting worse so maybe her lack of balance is to do with her ears? Also she´s very inactive and can´t be persuaded into getting fit - she used to like swimming but complains the water is too cold at the pool. She also drinks more than she used to - 2 to 3 glasses of wine a night. My Dad has tried to persuade her to drink less and do more but she just feels like we´re nagging and claims she´s happy as she is. Any suggestions? Can you tell me what activities your mums do that she might enjoy. Thanks.

book group
sewing/craft class (my mum does patchwork)
volunteer in charity shop
there may be another swimming option- my mum started going with some pensioners group to a private pool which I guess might be warmer, they do some kind of aqua aerobics
just walking is good for mental and physical health, depends where she is.

Thanks madlentileater, I´ll see if any of those things grab her and look out for a private pool that might be warmer.

Hi Munky..just wanted to respond about your mum.

It's so hard watching your parents age...my mum is 83 and has dementia.

Could your mum be depressed? It's very very common in older people. Could be the reason for the drinking. Maybe a call to Age Concern might give you some ideas for helping her deal with this and maybe some activities. (Having said that, my mum would NEVER have done any 'activities' with older people!). They might suggest someone she could talk to.

Just to add that the alcohol will make her osteoporosis much worse- she ought to avoid alcohol. Her osteo is not a surprise- 1 in 3 women over 50 have it and maybe as many as 1:2 by the age of 69, but most women don't know until they break soemthing

Also, swimming is good for the heart but not bones- she needs to walk or dance.
Would she join a dance class, such as tap, ballroom, line dancing?

Would she take any exercise with your dad- maybe walking together?

69 is really young these days - she ought to try toperk up or it will be a rapid decline.

Thanks for your post flibertygibet. It is hard seeing your parents age isn´t it? I´m finding it very upsetting. I would be depressed if I was sitting around in a boring rut but I´m not sure my Mum really minds, maybe she is depressed and doesn´t even realise it herself. I will contact Age Concern and see if they can offer any advice. Thanks for that suggestion.

Hi Purplepeony, I think you´re right and she needs to cut back on the wine. She does ballroom dancing on a Monday night with my Dad but I have a feeling her feet barely touch the ground and Dad swirls her around the floor. I will suggest to Dad that they go walking more often - he´s still working so often tired in the evenings but maybe at weekends. I see other women at around 69 looking much fitter, stronger and younger than my Mum she really does need to get on and do things. It´s also a shock to see her decline so rapidly as she always looked younger than her age. Im worried that she might have a health problem that we´re missing, she´s had blood tests at the doctors but nothing came up. Are there other health checks available? Is it something we´d need to do privately?

Has she been investigated for menieres disease, i work in pharmacy and it is a really common disease in older people with symptoms like you describe...easily treatable.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A9ni%C3%A8re%27s_disease

two other things it could be are,vertigo,labrynthitis.
hope these help

Thanks alypaly will look into those things - its good to have a place to start...

you are right about the alcohol,with any of these conditions ,it will only exacerbate it or exaggerate it.