March is National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Month. This is the ideal opportunity for you as a family caregiver to learn more about this often confusing and complex disorder and how you can help your senior to cope with the potentially devastating symptoms and consequences of this condition.
This starts with being able to recognize the potential signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, often abbreviated as CFS, so you can detect if your parent might be suffering from it. This will enable you to get your parent the medical care they need to handle the condition and to structure your homecare routine around supporting their quality of life even as they deal with their symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Some of the signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome include:
- Marked, severe fatigue that is not eased by sleeping
- Needing more than eight hours of sleep each night just to feel functional
- Taking an hour or more to adjust from sleeping to awake activity
- Waking up feeling exhausted or drained despite getting enough sleep
- Frequent headaches
- Sensitivity to heat or cold
- Muscle aches
- Increased susceptibility to bruising
- Dizziness, particularly after standing for a time
- Difficulty thinking or concentrating
- Feeling as though you have no energy
- Feeling as though you cannot tolerate standing for long and having the strong urge to lie down after standing for more than a few minutes
- Forgetting words or having difficulty communicating effectively
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph nodes
In total there are around 60 symptoms and signs attributed to chronic fatigue syndrome.
It is important to note that each person who deals with this condition can have an individual set of symptoms that may be completely different from those of another person with the condition.
This is why it is so important to bring your parent to the doctor if you notice changes in their energy, strength, motivation, or functioning so they can get a diagnosis and start managing their symptoms effectively.
Contact Care Options for Kids for Home Health Care Services
If your aging loved one has been suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome or has been suffering from challenging symptoms that have negatively impacted their health and quality of life, now may be the ideal time for you to start elder home care for them.
An elderly home care services provider can be with your parent to provide a highly customized course of care, support, encouragement, and assistance tailored to their individual needs and challenges. They can understand the specific limitations and issues your parent is facing as a result of their health concerns and develop a care routine that addresses these issues but also supports a lifestyle that is as independent, active, and fulfilling as possible as they age in place.
The symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome can be very challenging and make a serious impact on their lifestyle, but this home care provider can be there for your parent to help them overcome their symptoms and engage in a more active life as is right for them. This can support better physical, mental, and emotional health throughout their later years.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care services, contact the caring staff at Care Options for Kids. Call today (888) 592-5855.
Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20360490
