Creating a heart-healthy routine should be the focus of everyone, including seniors. As your loved one gets older they may start to focus more on heart health, and this is something that should be encouraged. If your loved one needs to develop a heart-healthy routine, elder care can be there to support their efforts. Here is what seniors can focus on to ensure their heart stays as healthy as possible:
Focus on Eating Right
Not all seniors know how important it is to eat well. In fact, it can be harder to eat as someone ages in place for many different reasons. Your loved one may have lost their sense of smell and taste or they may not be able to prepare their own healthy meals. By going for frozen or prepackaged foods they are not only limiting the amount of nutritional value they get they may also be ingesting more salt which is bad for heart health. Elder care can help our loved one by preparing fresh meals to enjoy throughout the week and even by helping your loved one get to the grocery store to pick out fresh foods they actually enjoy. Eating regularly on a schedule is an important part of a routine. A senior should be eating around the same time every single day.
Manage Stress Together
Too much stress is bad for anyone, but especially seniors who are focused on heart health. Chronic stress can lead to heart conditions but also other physical issues that can be hard to battle as someone ages in place. You may not even realize your mom and dad are stressed out about their lives, and it’s important to talk openly about what the problem might be. Once you understand what areas they need more help with or what the stressor could be you will know whether they need more help from elder care or other family members.
Limit Smoking and Alcohol
Smoking is not only bad for your lungs but it is also bad for your heart health. Smoking is deadly and is something that should be avoided at all costs. There is no benefit from smoking but it is highly addictive. If your elderly mom or dad picked it up when they were younger it can be a habit that is super hard to break. Drinking is another habit that is addictive and should be limited. It is wise for seniors to give it up altogether to focus on heart health but for many it is a time to be social. If they do not feel like they need to cut out alcohol completely, they should be limiting the amount of alcohol they consume to promote a healthy heart.
Keep Moving!
No matter how old your loved one is, they should be moving as much as possible. This means even if they cannot get out to walk around they are inside with elder care moving as much as possible. Elder care will encourage a senior to do as much as they can on their own and workout when possible. This may mean just walking back and forth to gain mobility or lifting light weights in bed or on the couch. Movement is one of the best ways to keep a heart healthy.
If you are considering elder care in Sugar Land, TX for an aging loved one, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.
At Your Side Home Care, provides exceptional home care for seniors and families in Houston, West Houston, Katy, Memorial, The Heights, Spring Valley, Garden Oaks, Hunters Creek, River Oaks, Hilshire Village, Galleria, Cinco Ranch, Spring Branch, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenburg, Piney Point, Bay City and surrounding areas.
Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.
Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week
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