Eating disorders in the elderly
Eating disorders are often stigmatized as only affecting young women and teenagers. You may be surprised to learn that aging adults suffer from them too, and it’s more common than you think.
The National Eating Disorder Association reported that 20% of women at the age of 70 and older are trying to change the size of their bodies. In short, eating disorders are still prevalent among older adults, and they do not just affect women.
If you are concerned about you or your loved one’s eating habits, these details may help you understand why it’s happening and how you can get help. Even if you’re feeling confident in your healthy eating habits, you may also learn which habits to avoid and when there might be a bigger problem forming.
Eating disorders later in life
An aging adult with an eating disorder has most often been diagnosed with the disorder earlier in life or has had a disorder for many years that has gone untreated. Eating disorders can reemerge or flare up during difficult times that trigger old behaviors, like losing a loved one, marriage difficulties, relocating from your home, or stress of new or continuing health issues.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is a condition in which people have a distorted body image and view themselves as overweight when they are not. Those diagnosed with anorexia have chosen to take extreme measures to alter the shape of their body, including restricting food or intentionally starving.
Anorexia in aging adults can develop through different routes. While the person still has the same morphed view and desire to change their body, their actions are often influenced by common traits of growing older, according to the National Institute on Aging. A decrease in smell and taste—a common sign of aging—can often lead to diminished food intake. Hormonal issues, gastrointestinal abnormalities and inflammation can also affect the amount that seniors eat.
Binge eating
This disorder involves eating excessive amounts of food and exhibiting hoarding behaviors over food, including hiding extra containers of food from their loved ones. This type of eating disorder often requires psychiatric help and intervention in aging adults.
Bulimia Nervosa
Persons with bulimia also binge eat, but it is always followed by purging the food afterward through forced vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise. This disorder can be particularly harmful to aging adults at higher risk of developing health complications. Our immune system declines as we age, and the body’s ability to bounce back from this type of damaging behavior is much lower. This disorder has lasting effects on the stomach, esophagus, mouth, and teeth, among other issues.
Treatment options
If any of these characteristics remind you of yourself or a loved one’s behavior, it’s important to contact your doctor to determine a treatment plan. Even if the disorder has been present for several years, there is still hope to beat it. In one related study, nearly 80% of cases that received treatment for an eating disorder experienced improvement. Taking the brave first step to admitting that you’re not feeling good about your eating habits is the best thing you can do to improve your health. Eating disorders can sometimes be fatal if left untreated.
Visiting Angels caregivers can help plan and prepare healthy meals throughout the week to keep you on track toward your health goals. If you participate in any out-of-home treatment options, in-home caregivers can assist with transportation to your appointments with your doctor. Struggling with an eating disorder can often feel isolating and leave adults feeling misunderstood. Still, an in-home caregiver can be a trusted confidant and source of encouragement through your transition into better health.
Visiting Angels Crystal Lake offers caregivers in Crystal Lake, McHenry, Woodstock, Cary, Barrington, Algonquin, Palatine, Lake Zurich, and the surrounding areas. Reach out today to schedule a free in-home consultation to discuss your available care options at (815) 479-0312.