My mom's physical health is a little below average. What makes her so weak and tired? She has no energy. She has the desire to do things but is so tired. Is there something physiological that occurs with aging that has nothing to do with vitals, blood levels, etc? I kinda look at it like a car...the body may look bad but the motor is still good. Thoughts are appreciated.
I do light exercise and whatever I can to stay healthy but I am much happier now that I accept I am old and do what I reasonably can and not worry about what I can't do.
Praise the lord for her good health and will to do! Give her a senior one a day vitamin (bury it in 6 oz.organic greek yogurt t will slide down really easy ) then sign her up for a senior exercise class we see seniors evertday tossing walkers and canes and getting more energy!
The National Institue on Aging has quite a few articles on fatigue that are worth a read.
http://www.nia.nih.gov/researchinformation/conferencesandmeetings/unexplainedfatigue
"Tired of Being Tired" by Michael A Schmidt is an informative book on why 'anyone' gets tired, and may be helpful for you to read with regards to your mother's lack of energy. It has opened my eyes regarding my own fatigue, and I am just 58 year old!
I do hope this helps. Why not try to reorient your mothers day? Get up at the same time, but try breakfast in the sunshine, or out in a restaurant.
Review sleep habits, the better we sleep, the better we feel the next day. My mother was active up until the last 5 months of her life! It was difficult keeping her in one place, she wanted to be busy! I could have welcomed a bit more fatigue (big grin). Of course I loved to see her active too!
Make sure your 'home' is fatigue resistant! Plenty of natural light, fresh air, not too cold, not too hot, and (mildly) stimulanting surroundings.
Food allergies can also trigger fatigue. These allergies can develop as our physical bodies change.
I found that the more I looked into why "I" was tired the more I improved my mothers health too! ALL caregivers need to keep their energy up too, so all of us will benefit from this discussion. God Bless.
Also, another reason I feel tired more than other days, is when the weather is in the 90's like it is all this week I feel weaker than I do when days are cooler. I cannot keep my A/C on high constantly as I have arthritis and it hurts me in a cold environment. So I have to take the hot weather and stay inside a lot. At least it is cooler than 90 degrees.
"Tired of Being Tired" by Michael A Schmidt is an informative book on why 'anyone' gets tired, and may be helpful for you to read with regards to your mother's lack of energy.
The National Institue on Aging has quite a few articles on fatigue that are worth a read.
http://www.nia.nih.gov/researchinformation/conferencesandmeetings/unexplainedfatigue.htm#summary
Start with the most basic things in her life. Does she sleep well, eat well, get enough fresh air and sunshine, etc.
Then have her doctor run the proper blood work and tests to check for deficiencies. In SO many cases simple changes make the biggest difference. Have her doctor explain what should/could be done to help her feel more energetic.
Magnesium is one of THE biggest deficiency, as is B6, B12 deficiencies. I am NOT a doctor but I found that making positive changes in my Mothers diet increased her energy when all else failed.
Do some research, talk to her doctor, review "Mom's" bloodwork with the doctor and then ask what (s)he recommends nutritionally.
You can and should keep track of your/Mom's eating habits to see if both of you are getting the proper nutrition. This would help a doctor in recommending supplementation or changes in diet.
I am not a nutritional expert, but I really believe we ARE what we eat! Add that to the 'processing factory' (our body) and the working order of the body and that equals the energy we have to carry on our days.
I hope this helps. And God bless!
A possibility that comes to mind is depression. If you are not familiar with that, look up the typical symptoms and think about whether this is something to consier.