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Hello,


I currently care for my 93 year old grandmother. She struggles with her mobility and performing her ADLs. Lately, her mantra seems to be I’m tired of being tired. Some days she can do her light exercise and get out of the house. Other days her legs don’t seem to want to work for her as if the brain can no longer communicate with the legs. She is constantly fatigued and lacks motivation - is this simply the aging process? Any suggestions?

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Has she been to the doctor at all recently? Maybe she needs blood work done to make sure she isn't anemic.
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To give some perspective.

Dad at almost 91 can only manage about 3 activities per week. Only one every other day. The activities have to be in the morning, or perhaps a lunch. The next day he is exhausted. When Dad was 89 he was walking a minimum of a 1/2 mile each day and walking up and down 10 steps repeatedly. When he was 90, he had stopped the daily walks, but still does weight lifting, but now he lifts the dumb bell without any weights on it. He struggles to get up 6 steps now.

Are you keeping track of the days when she is wiped out? What proceeds those days? A check up and labs as suggested by Snoopy is a good idea.
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Does she have a neurological condition like Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s really effects mobility. My mom has it and the brain and body cannot coordinate easily.

When was her last physical? Is she going for an appointment soon? You can stress to her doctor about how weak she is. They can place an order for home health to visit. It consists of Occupational therapy and physical therapy. The exercises will help tremendously with strength and balance. My mom has done it a few times and she is in her 90’s too.

As we age we lose muscle mass so it helps to exercise. They don’t want to because it is tiring. A good physical therapist and occupational therapist can get them to do it. My mom was extremely cooperative with the therapists.

The doctor also put mom on Vitamin B. You can ask about her taking it.

Best wishes to you and your grandmother.
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tell her to see her doctor. How can we possibly answer this.
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Sadinroanokeva Jan 2020
My 86 yr old mom is exactly the same..we have done all kinds of medical work ups..no issues found..she has depression and we see more of an issue on depressed days. Perhaps Grandmother is fighting depression?
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Um...93 is old...the body wears out
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Yes, unfortunately it is the aging process. I know a woman 90 that could walk at times but then she would fall an break a bone then another bone then another to to point now that she isn’t supposed to get out of bed. She has a hard time swallowing and is a miserable woman. I think when you get so old you should just make them comfortable and not try to push anything on them. Let them die peacefully.
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tornadojan Jan 2020
I agree! We always want to try and fix things...of course, because we care!! But maybe the most loving, gentle - although harder! - thing we can do is to just let things be.
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As the others have said, a physical and labs are in order, including checking her B-12 level. Gastric atrophy is fairly common in great old age, and it inhibits the absorption of vital nutrients, causing the fatigue and mental open circuit that you mentioned. (How well does she eat, by the way? Does she take vitamins?)
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Have you had her B-12 levels checked? She may need a shot. Not uncommon in elderly and it makes a big difference
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B-12 is what I was going to suggest also. My sister takes a sublingual liquid that we get at CVS. I don't know whether it actually helps any because she's always been a very sedentary person to begin with. So she doesn't attempt to help herself at all. Your grandmother at least sounds like she still CARES, if she could just get her body to cooperate.
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She may have anemia, depression, heart issues, lung issues, or some other illness. Usually there is a cause for the fatigue. May I suggest a doctor visit to try to pinpoint the cause, Aging is different for every person. My gram lived to be 1 week shy of 99 and actually walked down a flight of stairs to her last car trip without complaints. She had heart trouble and arthritis that caused most of her fatigue and mobility issues.
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93 let it be, my Mom is 91 tired 24/7 gets out of bed and wanting to rest.
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tornadojan Jan 2020
Love this mantra - 93, let it be! - for my 93-year-old mom.
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Yes & No.

Talk with her primary physician and ask about her medications and nutritional needs. While it could be a sign of her body shutting down, it can also be a sign that her nutritional needs are not being met and/or her medications need to be reevaluated.

My DH did very well until his last 6 months, after a really bad case of pneumonia. He was 96 yrs 8 months when he passed. I believe in supplements and they helped keep him ambulatory until the last 3 months when I had to assist his walking to the bathroom. He was only bedridden 3 days.
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I agree, see her doctor to see if she is lacking something. Low Potassium could make her feel this way. Thyroid can cause hormone problems. I would not give her anything by way of vitamins until she has some lab work. Once that is done then u can determine if its just declining because of age.
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Why is dying such a surprise? Respect her wishes. Provide comfort and love.
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How has she been physically as well as emotionally? Perhaps a visit with her primary care physician for a physical is in order. The physician could evaluate her thyroid function as well as other metabolic issues.Depression may be a factor too.
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My mother is 93 and chronically exhausted. I'm 62 and tired quite a lot of the time myself. There is nothing wrong with me that I'm aware of. My mother has quite a few issues, as you might expect a 93 year old to have. CHF, AFIB, she's wheelchair bound, doesn't sleep well at night, has moderate dementia.......lots of things that together, contribute to exhaustion and fatigue in general.

To expect a person of this age to be anything BUT tired is a bit unrealistic, in my opinion. Not to mention, what should she be 'motivated' to do, exactly? Let her alone, that's my suggestion. She's earned the right to sleep a lot and to do absolutely nothing all day long if that's what she would like.
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tornadojan Jan 2020
Wow! You described my mom and me ... ages, physical ailments, etc.... to a T!! Appreciate your comment and had to just comment back.
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Shortly before her diagnosis of dementia, my mother was driving, active, and chipper. But was increasingly forgetful and frequently complained of fatigue. One day, Mom and I were discussing why she might be so tired all the time. Her answer, “just thinking makes me exhausted.” Her blood work all came back WNL. We subsequently experimented with having someone else make even the smallest decision for her throughout an entire day, tried meditation, and simply sat in quiet not speaking while I held her hand watching a sunset. We also altered some eating habits and introduced regular sessions in a local therapy pool. Ultimately, she did have more energy. Just sharing my perspective after reading through all these excellent comments.
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I forgot to mention my mother was 89.
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Tiredness and fatigue often are signs of depression. Is she depressed? Have you asked her if she is depressed? Has she seen a doctor for treatment of depression?
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maemay5104 Jan 2020
I forgot to add that my mother has depression and takes a prescribed antidepressant. She is 91 years old.
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I'd check in with her Doctor first.

Medications could be a cause, or depression, or something else like even arthritis. It's hard to say, without more background information.

But at 93, she certainly deserves some rest, too. It probably depends on whether this is a recent change or a more gradual one, as to how concerned I'd be. Have there been any other recent changes in her life?
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Get a full evaluation from her physician.
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My Grandma just got tired of living. I would plan all kinds of what I thought interesting things( I was 50) She said I have done all that many times over. Sh e lived with me. My son was home, daughter away at college. What my grandma wanted most was MY siblings to visit. They NEVER had time, even when they were near at holidays.
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Fatigue and tiredness can be a part of depression. Older people should not have to suffer through depression, just as anyone does not need to suffer from depression. Ask her doctor for treatment of her depression. Antidepressants can help!
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