Study Shows Vitamin D Defeciency in Elderly
Most families do not think about the amount of vitamins their elderly family member is receiving at a nursing home. A new study has shown that elderly individuals in nursing homes are suffering from insufficient levels of vitamin D.
Vitamin D deficiency can cause higher rates of falls and fractures in the elderly because of how the vitamin D deficiency can affect calcium absorption and bone metabolism. Physicians advise that those over the age of 70 should take in 800 international units of vitamin D per day. Vitamin D plays a vital role in reducing the risk of death that is associated with older age and heart disease. Vitamin D can be found in a variety of foods and is often received from sunlight. If you fear that your loved one is not receiving the right amount of vitamin D, you may want to talk to your loved one’s primary physician or the different employees in the nursing home staff.
The smallest details can have the profoundest effect on your loved one. The medications and vitamin supplements are all pieces of the puzzle to help your loved one continue to live a long and fulfilling life. If more families took a more proactive interest in vitamins and their loved one’s dependence on certain vitamins more than others, then tragedies may be prevented.
