AFTT ? Adult Failure to Thrive - Boca Home Care Services

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?When a person experiences an unexplained sudden decline in functioning, health, or disposition, it may be caused by a syndrome known as ?Failure to Thrive?.

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Adult Failure To Thrive ? A Serious Condition

You may be familiar with this term in relation to babies or young children. However, AFTT increases with age. It can follow a perceived big loss, of home, a loved one, a change in environment, a move or other life event. Whatever the precipitating event, the Failure to Thrive causes a competent and talented older adult to seemingly waste away, physically, mentally and psychologically. The elderly senior with AFTT shows a significant overall decline. Their risk for disability, infection and mortality are increased.

As a Caregiver, once past the alarm of the situation, you will want to review all of their medications with their primary physician and/or pharmacist. You will want to look at each medication?s side effects and how they all interact with each other.

Check with a nutritionist or dietician to see what foods should be added to their diet, and which eliminated. Your doctor may suggest some supplements to increase weight gain.

Keep communication lines open and active. Rally the family and any friends to phone more often and visit. Include your loved one in one to one activities and family gatherings. Many older people who live alone don?t eat as well. Have a meal with them as often as you are able. Don?t prod but try to listen to their fears, concerns, needs and ask attentive questions.

Try to engage them in some type of mental or physical activity. Go for a walk, watch television together, play cards or do a puzzle.

Seek professinal help for counseling.

As a caregiver to a loved one afflicted with AFTT, you yourself may likely need or benefit from respite time. Hiring a caregiver a few hours a week can help give you time away to care for yourself and ?recharge? a bit so you will have new energy to manage the symptoms of your family member.

It can be very difficult to engage someone with AFTT. That is part of the syndrome. Show that you care about them and value them. Learn more about AFTT and what you can do to help them through it or deal with the loss if they do not improve. AFTT is in fact a trigger diagnosis for Hospice care.

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