How To Support A Senior's Heart Health
The heart is one of the most essential muscles. It keeps blood flowing throughout the body, enabling the rest of the organs to work adequately. As you age, the heart and blood vessels undergo changes, some of which may affect your heart health.
As a caregiver, it’s important to understand the risks of heart-related conditions in seniors, how to assist them in maintaining a healthy heart, and how to support them in living a quality life at home with their condition.
Heart-Related Concerns For Seniors
Heart health is a primary concern for seniors. Many factors can contribute to heart health, such as age-related changes and lifestyle choices. When it comes to heart-related concerns, three main circumstances that seniors and medical professionals look out for include:
- A heart attack is a life-threatening emergency that happens when there’s a blockage of blood flow and oxygen to the heart.
- Heart disease is a broad term that includes various heart-related conditions, one of which is coronary artery disease.
- Heart failure doesn’t mean the heart quits working. Instead, it’s a condition that happens when the heart is not pumping the way it should.
Supporting Heart Health In Seniors
Even though the heart changes with age and some heart-related conditions appear for seemingly no reason, more than 80 percent of heart-related diseases are preventable. As a caregiver, you can help support heart health in seniors and reduce their risk of heart-related conditions as they age.
Encourage Daily Movement
The heart is a muscle. Like any other muscle in the body, it’s important to strengthen it through physical activity. Moderate to vigorous exercise is excellent for strengthening the heart and improving blood flow.
Exercise should be tailored to a person’s unique needs and always under the supervision and recommendation of their physician. A few options you can encourage are fast-paced walks, swimming, or stationary bike riding. Other popular workouts that can improve heart health include Pilates (try Soul Den Hot Yoga on Pecos Street) and Zumba.
Help Cook Heart-Healthy Meals
Nutrition plays an important role in heart health. No magic diet or food will fix heart health overnight, but there are small modifications you can help an aging loved one make to their meals that can better support their heart.
When creating heart-healthy meals, the primary focus should be on limiting highly processed foods and incorporating more fresh produce and lean meats. Instead of eating frozen dinners or pre-made meals, help your aging loved one make a fresh dinner with fish, fresh vegetables, and whole-grain rice.
Encourage Regular Doctor Visits
A few signs and risk factors, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, can contribute to heart complications, which can only be discovered and monitored with consistent doctor’s appointments.
Encourage your loved one to see their doctor regularly, as recommended by their physician. You can assist them by offering to help schedule appointments and providing transportation to upcoming visits.
Help Manage Stress
Everyone experiences stress, but excessive or chronic stress can take a toll on one’s health. The American Heart Association suggests that stressed individuals are more likely to make behavioral choices that can negatively affect heart health, such as smoking, drinking, and overeating. Excessive stress can also manifest itself physically with symptoms like body aches, headaches, and poor sleep.
If a senior in your life is expressing signs of stress, help them find healthy ways to manage their stress. You can suggest taking a yoga class at Sacred Rebel Yoga to learn relaxation breathing and stretching techniques, a therapeutic massage from Massages by Amber, or a talk therapy session with a local therapist.
Support Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Two lifestyle choices that significantly affect health, both heart-related and not, are smoking and drinking alcohol. Both choices can be addictive habits, and asking a loved one to stop may be challenging. When talking to them about these choices, be open about your concerns and offer to help find them treatment programs if they’re having trouble stopping. You can find a comprehensive list of in and out-patient programs in Farmington here.
Supporting Heart Health at Visiting Angels
The caregivers at Visiting Angels are dedicated to the health and well-being of all our clients. We assist with daily tasks that can lead to lifestyle changes and improvements in heart health, such as kitchen assistance, transportation to local doctor’s appointments, and mobility help. Caregivers can also provide medication reminders, personal grooming assistance, and companionship.
If you want to learn more about how at-home care services can improve your overall health and well-being, contact our Farmington office to schedule a complimentary consultation.