The Truth About Senior Women With Anorexia

1. The Truth About Senior Women With Anorexia

2. Older Adults and Anorexia   • Many individuals with an eating disorder try to hide it from health care professionals. This becomes more prominent as people age. Age makes it more difficult to admit there is an eating disorder. Many individuals over the age of 60 believe they are too old to have this type of disorder. Anorexia does not discriminate and if untreated, women of all ages can die. The resiliency of the body decreases with age. This means the mortality rate increases in individuals over sixty. Boca Raton elderly care professionals share a few facts about anorexia in older women.

3. Anorexia is Not About Food  • The common misconception is anorexia is about food. People with anorexia want to be thin, are concerned if their thighs touch and do not want any fat on their stomachs. There are women whose bodies became so thin they were risking death. The truth is the emaciated body is hiding the feeling of being out of control and helpless. Anorexia is often a silent scream for help. The only control many of these individuals believe they have in their lives is what they do or do not choose to eat. 

4. The Transition  • Anorexia is more common during one of the transitions in life such as when a girl becomes a woman. These transitions are often scary or stressful and highlight life's harsh reality. This is when some people realize they do not have control over what happens in their life. For young women, the issue is often the way their bodies have changed. A loss is the life event that triggers anorexia in middle-aged women the most. Losses become more common as people age but are inevitable in life. The main trigger for anorexia in individuals above the age of sixty is losing a loved one. Some of the other common losses include retirement, the loss of energy and strength and the loss of possibilities. Losing the breasts to cancer is yet another type of loss and involves the former self. Some people are able to admit they have started restricting their intake of food and receive help. Sometimes the individual believes everything will be alright if they accomplish something like getting their stomach completely flat. They believe this is the way to get back the control they lost over their life. 

5. Anorexia Treatment for Older Women • When the individual is able to talk about the sense of helplessness they feel, they are often able to begin eating again slowly. This process often requires psychotherapy with women with the same type of eating disorder, bi-monthly visits to the physician's office and a nutritionist. This helps these women understand that although their lives have changed they are far from over. Once these women realize they still have opportunities and choices they can begin to get on with their lives in a more healthy manner. It is important to understand anorexia is not about being thin or food. Anorexia is about feeling a loss of control in life and complete helplessness. Encouraging someone to eat will not help. The best possible solution is to seek professional help.

6. Anorexia can be challenging to manage at times. If your aging loved one needs help to manage symptoms of a serious illness, consider hiring professional in-home elderly care. Boca Raton families should opt for a reliable at-home care provider in their area to allow their loved ones enhance quality of life without leaving the comfort of home. 

7. Brought To You By  • Home Care Assistance of Boca Raton • Phone: 561-826-9282 • Address: 21073 Powerline Rd Suite 35, Boca Raton, 33433, FL, USA • Website: https://www.homecareassistancebocaraton.com