How can I help improve my grandma's strength/stamina? Diabetic/Post Stroke?

She's diabetic, has high blood pressure, and had a stroke about 8 years ago and is pretty weak on her right side. Recently, she has gotten very weak and fatigued. She was trying out some prescribed pain killers from her doctor but she said it made her feel weak. We have a doctor's appointment next week to see why but in the mean time, does anyone have any suggestions to help improve her situation? She doesn't want to eat as much but she does because she knows she needs it. We try giving her juices and have her walking slowly across the hallway once in a while.

But until we go in for an exam, what can we do to help? And anyone know what might be causing this? Possibly just a bad side effect from the pain killers?

You need to help your body to build up your immune system.The breathing exercises - pranayam is a holistic approach creating extra oxygen supply in the body and will slowly help with the health problem.Do the pranayam to see the benefits.Build up your timing slowly and after two weeks at the suggested duration you will start to notice benefits.

Bhastrika - Take a long deep breath into the lungs(chest not tummy) via the nose and then completely breathe out through the nose.Duration upto 5 minutes.

Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for upto 30 minutes twice a day.(Max 60 min/day) Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.

Anulom Vilom - Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril
then 鈥?close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril
then -keeping the left nostril closed deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day(maximum 60 minutes in one day).
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.


Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 10 times
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Only by doing you will benefit and will feel good that you can do something to help the body.Copy and print this to master the technique.This is simplified pranayam for everyone and you do not have to go to classes to learn. This is for life unlike short term classes where you do it in the class then stop when classes are over.

It worries me she might be developing diabetic ketoacidosis. IS she taking her insulin as prescribed?
If she developed any of these symptoms call your doctor right away.

Sluggish, extreme tiredness.
Extreme thirst, despite large fluid intake.
Constant urination
Fruity smell to breath, similar to nail polish remover or peardrops.
Hyperventilation, at first rapid and shallow, then progressively deeper and less rapid.
Agitation or confusion.

If this is not the case, i'd suggest keeping an eye on her for any change on her behavior, if she gets confused or aggressive, take her to the ER. I do not think this is due to the analgesics.

There is a lot to consider when suggesting a healthy diet to an elderly patient who has diabetes and is weak or tired.
I would begin with anything vegetable based, whole meats (as close to killing the cow as you can get) no deli meats. Make a home made veggie soup with all the best veggies. (frozen or fresh -not canned-).
Unsweetened soy milk. Skim milk is fat-free, while soy milk has about 5 grams. Fat is more filling and keeps you fuller longer, and the type of fat in soy milk comes from soybeans, which is a much more heart-healthy fat than dairy fat.
First Class Proteins, like fish (preferably from the market, fresh), chicken breasts, lean meats.

There is something an elderly patient showed me how to do, he calls it meat juice. This is basically, take 2 oz of fresh liver (if she likes liver) or cut up lean meat, made in small cubes.
Place it in a small glass jar (Mason jar is fine) and add a bit of salt, onion or whatever she pleases to flavor it. Place the jar (do not add water to the jar) in a pot with water. Water should hit at about half the jar (this is called double boil method). Take the pot to a boil until all the juices of the meat have come out of it. Take the jar out and strain the meat. Give her the juice, it is healthy, packed with B complex vitamins, easy to digest, and natural. Do this daily.

Pain killers can make people sluggish, this is especially so in the elderly as their body is not able to metabolize the drugs as quickly and effeciently as younger people. Having her start moving about is a good start, a little bit at a time as she builds up her strength. Nutritional supplements such as Glucerna may be of help if she likes them, this kind is especially made for diabetics, whole food supplements, or a good multivitamin like All In One may be of benefit. See if she can get involved in any senior activities in your area, maybe with a purpose/something to do, she would be more motivated. Volunteer to rock babies in a nursery at the hospital, read to children, something that does not require a lot of stamina but able to use the abilities she still has. Sometimes elderly people suffer with depression due to loss of independence, or purpose. Good Luck

pain meds make anyone lethargic so if there was a change about that time it could be a result of the medsbut should go away.
It's important to remember that the less you do, the less you want to do. My 80 year old mother can barely walk to the bathroom now and she has no health problems. Her only problem is that a few years ago she decided she was too old to do anything anymore. She has been sitting in that recliner for three years now and doesn't understand why she gets dizzy when she stands up and is too tired to walk out the back door. It's sad. If you can do anything to encourage your grandma to get tiny bits of exercise you may be able to avoid this total lethargy that I've encountered with Mom. If she's able to walk, if you even walked her to the end of the driveway and back twice a day it would help.Have you seen the exercise program "Sit and be Fit" . It was created for seniors and is just exercises to encourage them to keep some range of motion and some desire to move. I taped an episode from TV, got mom the ball and offered to do it with her but she won't even try. Your grandma might not be able to do it all but it would give you some ideas of ways to encourage movement that would keep her in as good a shape as she can be in. Because if she stops doing everything she will just get weaker and weaker.
It's sad but I think at some point it's just too much effort and they decide they prefer sitting and waiting to die. I'm so glad you have this doctor appointment coming up and hope he/she has some great ideas.
Good luck.