What You Need to Know About Eating Disorders in Older People
It’s normal for elderly people to lose some of their appetite. Physical causes of this can include health issues and a lack of exercise, and many people find cooking meals uninteresting when living alone.
Maintaining a balanced, healthy diet might be challenging due to a lack of routine in retirement. Or a desire to avoid cooking for one, or the dependence on a now-deceased partner for cooking. However, at what point does a modified relationship with food turn into an eating disorder?
A mental health issue known as an eating disorder impairs a person’s connection with food.
Teenage females are more likely to develop eating disorders. Some say it’s because of social media, and filtering tools that tempt girls to pursue an idealised standard of perfection.
But eating disorders do not discriminate. A person’s age, sex, gender, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, and cultural background do not matter regarding an eating disorder.
People of any age, race, or gender can suffer from an eating disorder. When someone is suffering from an eating disorder, it does not matter if they are younger or older. No matter what your age, you need to seek help.
Setting the Record Straight on Eating Disorders and Age
Eating disorders are very serious conditions that can lead to death.
Most people who suffer from an eating disorder are under 30 years old. But many people think that you grow out of it; your body stops changing and eating disorders disappear.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. While many people may recover from their eating disorders. There can be a time after reaching a certain age, where others will still struggle with the same issues well into their later years.
There are many different types of eating disorders, and each type requires its own treatment plan. For example, episodes of binge eating disorders are characterised by uncontrollable episodes of overeating. People who suffer from a binge eating disorder may also experience feelings of guilt and shame when they binge eat.
Another eating disorder is anorexia nervosa, which involves extreme weight loss and a distorted body image. Anorexics may feel like they’re fat even though they’re thin. Some people who suffer from anorexia may also engage in self-harming behaviours including cutting themselves.
The last eating disorder is Bulimia Nervosa, characterised by repeated cycles of binging and purging. These individuals may purge through vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative abuse.
Those who suffer from anorexia often feel like they will never recover. Their body shape may not change, but their mind does. As time goes on, they become less aware of their needs. Those who have suffered for years might even start to think that their condition is normal. But recovery is possible, and there are programs available to help.
Mental illness is often misunderstood. Some of the symptoms can be attributed to other conditions, like depression, anxiety, or late onset dementia. Others are simply a result of normal aging. However, there are also many cases where the symptoms are not caused by any of those conditions. These are called “idiopathic” disorders, meaning that the cause of the problem cannot be found. Many of these problems are treatable if diagnosed early enough.
In some cases, an older person may have suffered from anorexia nervosa as a child and recovered fully. However, as they got older, they may have had a relapse and not realised what was happening. Or, the person may have been conditioned to the symptoms and thought they were just “normal” for them. Eating disorders can be very deceiving, and sometimes the signs aren’t obvious.
Triggers for Eating Disorders
in the Elderly
Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time. The causes of eating disorders are not clear, although both biological and environmental factors appear to play a role.
But eating disorders in the older generations often occur when someone tries to lose weight quickly, or when someone starts to feel uncomfortable with their body size, loneliness or lack of control.
These feelings might come out of nowhere, or they could be related to a change in appearance. For example, if you started feeling bad about yourself after any physical changes, then you might start to feel ashamed of your body. You might think that you’re fat, and that you need to lose weight, but notice that you’re gaining weight even though you’re exercising regularly. But you might also worry that you’ll never fit into those skinny jeans from your youth again.
In addition to the pressures of society, single adults or those becoming grandparents may feel pressured to look young and attractive to attract potential partners. Social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook provide an easy avenue to post photos of oneself looking young and attractive, which could lead to feelings of inadequacy if one does not meet these standards. These pressures combined with the fact that our bodies age naturally can lead to unhealthy habits that become problematic when left unchecked.
Eating Disorders Can Stick Throughout Life if Not Treated
Eating disorders are often triggered when:
- Lack of control over life
- When a person loses a job
- Going through the process of Divorce
- Losing a loved one
- After a medical diagnosis/ medical condition
- Depression & Loneliness
They may start to act out the same behaviours and actions of their past eating disorder. These behaviours and actions are usually used, when there is a loss of control, as a coping mechanism to gain back control over situations that are completely out of their control, but they end up making them feel even worse about themselves.
As adults age, they often have to relinquish control over many aspects of their life. For example, they might have to give up driving or move into an assisted care facility where they cannot make any food choices. These examples show a loss of autonomy, essentially a loss of self-control. Some people will try to regain some of that lost control through eating disorders like bingeing and purging.
Many older adults feel like they have nothing left to lose and are ready to step out of life. Some older adults may not want to bother others with their health problems and are willing to let their bodies fail them. Others may not want to burden their families or caregivers with their illness and prefer to just give up.
Eating Disorders in the Elderly
Eating disorders at old age can cause serious health problems, especially in older adults. These illnesses can weaken bones, increase blood pressure, and raise the risk of heart disease.
Older women with eating disorders may have even more problems: Loss of muscle can slow metabolic rates, and age-related cognitive impairment can manifest faster. Digestive troubles like gastroesophageal reflux disease and irritable bowel syndrome, heart arrhythmia, reflux gastroparesis, constipation and bloating.
Older adults with eating disorders often suffer from dehydration, malnutrition, and electrolyte imbalances.
- Anorexia nervosa can also cause arrhythmias, kidney damage, and heart failure.
- Bulimia can cause severe weight loss, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance.
- Binge eating disorders can cause similar problems as bulimia.
For older adults presenting signs of weight and shape concerns, reduced food intake or even just unexplained weight loss, you should speak to someone. As it might be, early warning signs of mental illnesses.
You can try and talk to them about their body image or body dissatisfaction, just be sensitive. Eating disorders can make people aggressive and stand-offish. But you might learn that it might be their way of coping with later life stresses and the ageing process.
Eating disorders in older adults are often mental disorders. Which can be linked to dementia (late-onset eating disorders).
How to help someone with an eating disorder
Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions that affect both men and women, young people and at an older age. If you notice any changes in your loved one’s behaviour, including weight loss or gain, bingeing, extreme baggy clothes, purging, excessive exercise, or self-harm, contact a medical professional immediately. Eating disorders can cause serious physical complications if left untreated, and early intervention is essential.
Recoveries from eating disorders often take years, and sometimes even decades. People who go through disorder treatment and recover will likely have relapses in times of stress and/or anxiety, and it’s important to be patient and supportive through those times.
Here are ways to support someone with anorexia nervosa:
- Listening is an essential skill for any relationship. It helps us understand each other and allows us to connect. Listening also shows respect. If we don't listen, we might miss something important. We may even offend others. But listening doesn't mean agreeing with everything another person says. It means hearing them and showing interest in what they have to say.
- They need to feel like they matter. Make sure they know that they're important and valuable. Tell them why you care about them and why they matter to you.
Eating Disorder Symptoms?
- Dramatic weight loss.
- Concerns about eating in public.
- Preoccupation with weight, foods, calories, fat grams or diets.
- Complaints of constipation.
- Cold intolerance.
- Stomach pains.
- Lethargy.
- Excessive energy.
- Excuses to avoid meal time.
- Intense fear of weight gain or becoming "fat".
- Dress in layers to hide weight loss or stay warm.
- Severely limiting amounts of food.
Each type of eating disorder has its own specific symptoms. These conditions cause someone to obsess about food and body image. However, there are also mental health issues that go along with eating disorders. These include depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and thoughts of suicide.
Some people refuse to eat certain foods. Others deny feeling hungry. Some people express a need to “burn off” calories. Some people repeatedly weigh themselves. Some people develop food rituals. (Restrictive food intake disorder) Some people exercise excessively. Some people cook meals for others without eating them.
Worrying Health Signs:
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Atypical lab tests (Anaemia, Low Thyroid Levels, Low Hormone Levels, Low Potassium, Low Blood Cell Counts, Slow Heart Rate).
- Dizziness.
- Fainting.
- Sleep Irregularities.
- Feeling Cold All the Time.
- Menstrual Irregularities.
- Calluses Across Top Finger Joints (A Sign Of Inducing Vomiting).
- Dry Skin.
- Dry Thinning Nails.
- Thin Hair/Excessive hair loss.
Getting help for Eating Disorders in People
An elderly person with an eating disorder may find it more challenging to get help. The stigma can still bother older individuals associated with mental illness. Even though it is a commonly talked about and acknowledged topic today.
They might also be unmotivated to improve. Inspiring change in younger people doesn’t always work for older individuals. We frequently exploit these biological side effects as motivation for change by saying things like, “You might get your periods back, your fertility might be affected.” However, you need to help older folks process their sorrow, especially if they’ve recently lost someone. Regardless of whether the sufferer overcomes their eating issue or not, the deceased loved one will obviously never return.
People with eating disorders of any age can find a lot of help. Your doctor might recommend you to specialised teams, and organisations that provide excellent professional and peer assistance. They have representatives who use their personal histories of recovery to aid others.
Treating eating disorders in older adults
Help is nearly always required for treating eating disorders, and the first step toward treatment is a diagnosis.
After speaking to doctors or healthcare professionals and confirming an eating disorder diagnoses, they will create a tailored plan to help them recover.
- Dealing with an elderly person who has an eating disorder as a family member or friend
Observing a loved one suffer from an eating issue is difficult. Many of the resources for help are geared at family members of teenagers/younger adults, but living with an eating problem in a parent or spouse can be a very different experience. It’s possible to feel helpless or even that your efforts to assist the person are being intrusive if you don’t have parental authority over them.
Losing a parent who has been a nurturing figure in your life as the roles switch can be difficult, especially if you are aware of how frequently they lie to you or prioritise their dietary requirements above yours.
Remember, a full recovery from eating disorders is achievable at any age.
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, it is believed that eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, only afflict adolescent girls. However, anyone of any age or gender can experience an eating disorder. As mental health knowledge and discourse increase, eating problems are being detected in older adults more frequently.
Anyone can fully recover from an eating disorder at any age, and it is never too late to get treatment. The diagnosis is more challenging since elderly persons may have other physical or mental health issues that can make recognising the eating disorder more challenging. Because mental health was previously taboo, some people may not be aware that they have a problem or may be scared to get help.
The dynamic between an eating-disordered parent or grandparent and a teen child is quite different. Seeing someone you care about struggle may be incredibly upsetting, especially if they refuse aid. The eating disorder organisation Beat is aware of this and offers services for family members and friends. Even if the person is not receiving therapy, you can still seek support from your doctor.
