As Singaporeans live longer, millennials and older adults have to adjust to a changing role: becoming caregivers for their aging parents and family members.
The saying goes: “To take care of others, start by taking care of yourself”. This is especially true for those of us who have to juggle caring for elderly parents and loved ones with other responsibilities. Caregivers must be advocates for their own health, in order to provide quality care in turn.
While caregivers’ mental and financial well-being tend to receive a great deal of concern, cultivating physical well-being is just as important.
Personal strength is crucial in care and this involves keeping your muscles strong. For caregivers whose daily responsibilities involve ongoing energy and strength to constantly lift and transfer patients or loved ones, prioritizing muscle health can be an essential part of your care.
WHAT DO MUSCLES HAVE TO DO WITH HEALTH?
Healthy muscles matter. Muscular strength is a key indicator of overall health and plays an integral role in strength, energy, immunity, and bone health, allowing us to move, lift things, pump blood around the body, and even help us breathe.
However, as some may experience muscle loss that comes with age, it is important to pay attention to our muscles and take care to maintain our strength as we age.
While Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest lives in the world at around 83 years old, the years gained may not be fully enjoyed as more time is spent dealing with age-related health problems, problems being musculoskeletal the most frequent.
Sarcopenia, or age-related loss of muscle mass and function, can begin as early as age 40, with up to eight percent muscle loss every decade thereafter.
In Singapore, four out of five older adults who are at risk of malnutrition have low muscle mass, as revealed by SHIELD (Strengthening the Health of the Elderly Through Nutrition) research that Abbott has been conducting in collaboration with the Hospital Changi General and SingHealth Polyclinics.
MAKE CHANGES TO STAY STRONG
Age-related muscle loss can be prevented with proper intervention through what we eat and how we use our muscles.
Eating a balanced diet with protein-rich foods helps build muscle health. As we age, more dietary protein is needed to help preserve muscle mass. About 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal is recommended, including high-protein foods like chicken, shellfish, eggs, nuts, beans, tofu, or dairy.
An adequate intake of vitamin D can also help maintain and improve muscle function and strength. To increase your vitamin D intake, spend some time outside in the sun and add foods like fatty fish, mushrooms, eggs, or foods fortified with vitamin D like orange juice and soy milk.
Meeting your daily requirements with adequate nutrient intake can help you stay strong longer and maintain your strength when caring for loved ones throughout the day. For older caregivers who are not eating well, taking specialized nutritional supplements can help support muscle health.
Oral nutritional supplementation with HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate), a natural compound, has been shown to be effective in preserving muscle mass in the elderly. HMB occurs naturally in small amounts in some foods, but it is difficult to find amounts that support muscle health through diet alone.
In the SHIELD study, older adults who consumed an oral nutritional supplement containing HMB were found to clinically show increased strength. They experienced significant improvement in their nutritional status, physical function, and health outcomes.
To prevent weakening of muscle strength, caregivers should also exercise regularly. An ideal exercise plan includes aerobic exercises, such as walking, biking, or swimming, and resistance or strength training, such as lunges, squats, push-ups, and single-leg stands.
Simple everyday activities, such as walking, climbing stairs, and lifting things, can also help keep your muscles active. The next time you shop at the grocery store, consider bringing a grocery bag or basket instead of using a cart.
CHECK YOUR MUSCLES
Pay attention to how your muscles are doing, so you can take immediate action to improve your strength.
How can you tell if you’re at risk for poor muscle health? A quick and effective way is to use the Five Sit-Stand-Up Test, which you can do at home to assess lower extremity functional strength, transitional movements, balance, and fall risk.
To perform the test, cross your arms over your chest and go from sitting to standing and back to sitting five times as quickly as possible, using a stopwatch to time yourself. aid
After testing, find out your muscle age using the muscle age calculator that compares sitting and standing test time to the average test time of biological age groups.
Someone in their 40s may have a muscle age of 50 if they take longer than normal to complete the test, and this could be due to poor muscle health.
Busy people, especially caregivers who often need to provide 24-hour care, may want to consider trying this simple assessment as an easy way to determine their risk of muscle loss.
TAKE CARE TO GIVE CARE
To provide quality care to others, do not neglect your own health.
Good nutrition, along with regular exercise, can be beneficial in building and maintaining muscle strength and in helping you live a fuller, healthier life in the long run.
Take the first step today to manage your muscle health and improve your diet and exercise routines. As you care for your loved ones, keep in mind that this includes you too.
Making yourself a priority is not a selfish act, especially when it comes to caring.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea B. Maier is the Oon Chiew Seng Professor of Medicine and co-director of the Center for Healthy Longevity at the National University of Singapore.
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