Management tips for Seniors with Chron’s and Colitis

We all want to feel comfortable managing how we eat, and how our body digests food. For individuals who suffer from inflammatory bowel diseases including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, learning how to manage issues of digestion is a daily struggle. Qualicare’s home health care and senior care franchise partners support individuals with these conditions, helping clients manage symptoms that can sometimes change with age.

The first week of December marks the awareness month for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. According to a study by the Mayo Clinic, around 1.3 million people reportedly were diagnosed with either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis in one year. As adults age, they frequently have more complicated health treatment plans and have to learn new ways to manage medication and treat their symptoms. Here are a few helpful tips to manage the healthcare of an individual experiencing Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.

Know what to expect

According to the Mayo Clinic, Crohn’s disease is a condition that creates inflammation anywhere along the digestive tract but most commonly impacts the small intestine and the beginning of the colon. Common symptoms of Crohn’s disease include diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Nausea, loss of appetite, constipation, and sometimes rectal bleeding are also symptoms that can indicate a problem. Some people with Crohn’s also experience fatigue, inflamed skin, or weight loss. Many people experience periods of time when symptoms of Crohn’s disease decrease or go away entirely. A cure for Crohn’s disease doesn’t exist but there are treatments to manage the symptoms.

With ulcerative colitis, ulcers, or sores, are caused by inflammation affecting the inner lining of the colon, and rectum. Depending on the severity, symptoms can look similar to Crohn’s disease, and also include diarrhea with blood or pus, inability to defecate despite the urgency, fever, fatigue, and in children, the failure to grow. Symptoms usually develop over time, rather than suddenly. Like Crohn’s disease, people with ulcerative colitis may have long periods of remission, when the condition goes away.

Understand that symptoms may look different as you age

A 2018 study published in Gastroenterology says that of people diagnosed with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, 23 percent are 60 or older. Symptoms may look different for seniors than for younger individuals with IBD. Older adults are more likely to experience weight loss, constipation, and fever, while younger people tend to experience diarrhea, abdominal pain, and sometimes anemia during a flare-up. Fortunately, older adults sometimes experience milder symptoms than young people.

Older people however have a higher likelihood of experiencing complications related to Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Colorectal cancers, bowel obstructions, and intestinal scarring are higher risk if the individual is an older adult.

Learn how to manage other health conditions

Since older adults are at higher risk for being affected by several medical conditions at once, it’s important to be screened for the most common. Heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure are common in older adults. Older people’s immune systems are also generally not as strong as the immune systems in younger people. Staying up to date on flu, pneumonia and all other vaccinations is important for older adults for this reason as well. Some people who have Crohn’s disease can be more susceptible to infections or other conditions. Diabetics, when blood sugar is high, are at greater risk for infections.

For individuals who have a number of other health conditions, managing medications can be tricky. Medications for Crohn’s disease could impact other areas of the body. For example, if you have osteoporosis, taking a corticosteroid medication could adversely impact bone density. Taking antibiotics can also put an individual at risk of other infections, increasing the possibility of Crohn’s disease-related complications. Steroids also can be a concern for individuals with Crohn’s disease, as steroids can cause problems in cardiovascular health, cause bone loss, and make diabetes control more difficult. Simplifying medication regimens can help individuals avoid some of these issues.

Be sure to eat a healthy diet & reduce stress

Oftentimes people with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis experience a change in appetite and eat less. But this can lead to a weakened immune system, so it’s important to find ways to keep up the calorie count. Eating smaller meals more frequently, and focusing on whole foods, especially fresh fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains, can help people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis meet their nutritional goals. Some people who have diseases impacting the intestines have nutrient deficiencies related to reduced stomach-acid production. Making sure the levels of iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12, zinc and iron are healthy is especially important. Taking supplements may be a good option for individuals who need an extra boost.

But eating healthy food isn’t enough! It’s important to decrease stress levels as well, which impact the body in many ways. According to Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, therapy that is based in mindfulness has shown to help individuals who experience depressive and anxious symptoms related to their condition. Mindfulness and relaxing breathing techniques have been found to reduce levels of inflammation.

Know the causes & risk factors

Understanding the causes and risk factors of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can help with managing the reality of the disease. For ulcerative colitis, genetics are a factor. If someone in your close family has the disease, it’s more likely you will. Additionally, white people under age 30 are the most likely demographic to be diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.

For Crohn’s disease, the exact causes are unknown, but it could be caused by a reaction from the immune system. It is possible that when the immune system tries to fight off bacteria or a virus, an irregular response causes cells to be attacked in the digestive tract as well.

Though the exact causes are unknown, like with all poor health conditions, stress, diet, and environment all likely contribute to the aggravation of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Focusing on healthy nutrition, holistic care, and creating a restful environment can help individuals cope with inflammatory bowel diseases and live more fulfilling lives.