AboutMargot RN BScN GNC Expertise GERONTOLOGY (NURSING ISSUES RELATED TO THE ELDERY) I have 15+ years experience working with the elderly. I would be pleased to offer any assistance I can. My areas of expertise include: Gerontology / Geriatrics, Long Term Care, Community Nursing, Palliative Care, Private Nursing Services, Intermediate / Extended Care. I also have a personal interest in Homeopathic and Eastern Medicine. If I can not answer your question I`ll do my best to direct you to an appropriate resource. Thank you.
Experience I have fifteen years experience in Gerontological Nursing both in the community, and in Long Term Care. I have worked as a General Duty Nurse, a Nurse Manager, and a Nursing Consultant in Long Term Care and Community Nursing.I have a great deal of experience working with, assessing, and educating in the field of Gerontology (Nursing the Elderly). I am familiar with the challenges associated with Dementia (Alzheimer's), Chronic and Terminal illnesses. Experience in the area 20 years of Long Term Care and Community Nursing, specialising in Geriatrics, Gerontology and PalliativeCare.
Education/Credentials Registered Nurse , Certified Gerontological Nurse, Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Question my mother is 88 and always complaining about being tired and sick and gets angry at the drop of a pin could there be an underlying cause besides old age
Answer Hi Diana and thanks for writing,
Of course old age alone can make us weary, but there can also be underlying treatable causes which can be easily identified and just as easily treated. The first and most common thing that pops to mind is Anemia; her doctor can easily test for that with a basic blood count, and you can also look at the inside of your Mom’s eyelids. Just pull the bottom lid down and away from her eye gently and check the colour – a pale colour generally indicates Anemia and a pink-red colour is normal. I also recommend we avoid the medications most doctors prescribe for Anemia (Ferrous Sulfate/Gluconte as they are so poorly absorbed and cause too many unpleasant GI side effects and more dangerously they inhibit the absorption of other more important medications as well as regular Vitamins & Minerals); the best treatment for Anemia is Floradix (a liquid you can find at most Health Food Stores – 15 mls a day is enough unless her Hg is too low, then you should give her 30 mls a day for a month, then cut down to 15mls day once her levels are back to normal).
My advice is to get a large bottle of Floradix today and start your Mom on 15mls a day, also make an appointment for a complete blood test this week and ask her doctor to check for common causes of weariness (like Anemia, under-active Thyroid, etc).
If you notice that your Mom gets short of breath easily or ever has blue lips I would also request her doctor to check her Oxygen levels (which can sometimes also be caused by Anemia and reverse with the Floradix if it’s a mild case).
