What Causes Seniors to Have a Weak Voice?

As seniors age, they experience a variety of different changes throughout their entire bodies. Many seniors find that they start to develop a weaker voice than they have had in the past. There are lots of reasons this happens, ranging from physical changes to choices seniors make throughout their lives. Some of these potential causes may require a little bit of help, and 24-hour home care providers can offer that assistance.

Reduced Muscle Mass

Over time, seniors start to gradually lose muscle mass. This affects many aspects of life, but it can have an impact they don’t expect on their voices. The muscles that control speaking and the voice start to lose both strength and elasticity. If seniors are talking less often, these losses can occur even faster. The vocal cords themselves also become thinner and less flexible, reducing voice quality. Helping seniors to have more opportunities to talk, especially while also getting more social engagement, can help to strengthen the muscles that help them to speak.

Hormonal Changes

Seniors experience many different types of hormonal changes as they grow older, and many of these changes affect voice quality. Some of those hormonal changes affect how flexible and lubricated the vocal cords are, which can make the voice weaker and more hoarse. Hormonal imbalances can also speed up other age-related changes.

Medications

Seniors typically take more than a few medications to manage health issues. Some of those medications have side effects that impact the voice. Medications that result in dry mouth, for instance, reduce vocal cord lubrication and cause a weaker voice. Home care providers can help seniors to stay on top of medication side effects and how those impact their daily lives.

Neurological Conditions

Health conditions that affect the neurological system, like strokes or Parkinson’s disease, can affect the muscles related to speech and voice. Because those muscles may not be easy to control any longer, the voice is automatically weaker. Working with a speech therapist can help seniors to recover some of that coordination and control.

Lifestyle Choices

Lifestyle choices always have a big impact on senior health, all throughout their lives. Choices like smoking have a lasting impact on voice quality and can lead to a weak voice later in life. Other factors, like exposure to pollutants or irritants, also have a negative impact on voice health. Reducing the impact of some of these choices can be possible, but seniors may need to adopt healthier habits for a while in order to see long-term positive results.

Having a weak voice can be frustrating both for seniors and for the people who love them. There are lots of reasons a weak voice can become an issue for aging adults, and some of these causes are reversible. Having understanding help from 24-hour home care providers can make a huge difference for seniors with a weak voice. Caregivers know how to help aging adults with a variety of different issues, ensuring that they’re both safe and as healthy as possible.

If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Manteca, CA, please contact the caring staff at Provident Care Home Care today at (209) 578-1210.