What Causes Dizzy Spells in Senior

Suffering from a dizzy spell can be unpleasant, but it can also be dangerous for your senior. Unexpected dizziness may lead to falls, injuries, or accidents like dropping and breaking something valuable. With home care assistance, your loved one can have the support they need to stay safe and secure during these moments.

While it’s normal to feel dizzy after spinning or watching certain moving objects, there are health conditions that can cause sudden, unexpected bouts of dizziness.

 

Health Conditions That Can Make Your Senior Dizzy

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

This is the most common type of vertigo affecting the elderly and often requires home care assistance to manage its symptoms. It can make the room appear to spin, throwing off your loved one’s balance and increasing the risk of falls. BPPV is caused by crystals that form inside the canals of the inner ear and is often triggered by sudden changes in head position, such as bending over.

Blood Pressure Issues

If your loved one has any cardiovascular conditions that cause his heart to struggle to pump blood through his body, he might become dizzy, especially when rising from a seated position.

Parkinson’s Disease

Neurological health issues can make it difficult for the brain to send or receive messages, often causing your loved one to struggle with balance and staying upright. With the right home care assistance, they can receive the support they need to manage these challenges safely and effectively.

Diabetes

Diabetics often struggle to manage their blood sugar levels. They can often go between having too high of levels and too low. If your loved one’s blood sugar levels get too low, he might become lightheaded and dizzy.

Low Iron (Anemia)

If your loved one struggles with low iron, it can lead to dizzy spells because of the reduced oxygen in the blood.

Medications

Some medications have side effects that include dizziness, which can be a concern for seniors relying on home care assistance. Common medications that may cause dizziness include anti-seizure medications, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants. It’s essential to read through all possible side effects before your loved one starts a new medication to help them prepare for any potential issues.

 

Keeping Your Loved One Safe

If your loved one struggles with dizzy spells, it’s important to take some precautions to help reduce the risk of him falling and injuring himself when and if a bout of dizziness occurs. There are steps you can take around the home to provide him with a safer home, such as installing handrails in the shower, eliminating tripping hazards from around the house, and even providing a reaching stick to grab items from high up so he doesn’t tilt his head too much.

Your loved one may find that certain household chores become too hard for him to safely perform due to his dizzy spells. In this case, a home care assistance provider can step in and assist with those chores that trigger his dizziness. A home care assistance provider can assist with lifting items off the floor, cleaning the stairwell, and helping with any other chores that your loved one needs help with. A home care assistance provider can also provide physical support when your loved one needs to use the stairs or take a walk across an uneven surface.

With some preparation, your loved one can continue to live safely in his home without the fear of his dizzy spells leading to a bad fall.

 

 

If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care Assistance in Herndon, VA, please contact the caring staff at Thrive Health Care Services today. (703) 992-0484