Helping Mom Take Care of Her Heart - Women's Heart Week Feb 1-7
Heart disease is the largest killer of women, yet very few women think heart disease is their greatest health threat (only 1 in 5 lists it as a concern).
For that reason, the American Heart Association has created the “Go Red for Women” campaign and has named the week of Feb 1-7 as Women’s Heart Week. If you’re the caregiver of an aging mother or grandmother still living at home, you can use this week to create greater awareness to her about the importance of keeping her heart-healthy.
Heart disease is caused by the buildup of plaque within the walls of the arteries.
It can affect both blood vessels and the cardiovascular system. If a clot forms because of the plaque buildup, it may stop blood flow to the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke. While there are factors that your elderly parent cannot prevent such as hereditary or complications from another disease, there are changes she can make in her lifestyle to lessen the chances of her having a traumatic health event in her future.
Quit smoking
Smoking puts your elderly parent at a higher risk for heart disease and stroke. There are many smoking cessation programs that can help your parent stop the habit for good. Having a good support system and loving people to keep her accountable (such as yourself, her elder care provider, and another family member) can also encourage her to stop this habit that has so many health risks.
Manage blood sugar
High blood sugar can lead to diabetes as well as heart disease. On your next visit to your parent’s physician, have them complete the appropriate test to make sure your parent’s numbers are where they should be. If they aren’t, you may need to start monitoring her blood sugar and help her find ways to manage those levels, such as altering her diet and/or home monitoring.
Get blood pressure under control
High blood pressure is known as the silent killer because many people don’t know they have it until it’s too late because there are no obvious symptoms. But when left untreated, it causes damage to the circulatory system which can lead to heart attacks. The next time you or your elder care provider bring your parent to the doctor, have them check her blood pressure. If the numbers are high, you can get a home blood pressure gauge to monitor her levels as she works to reduce them.
Lower cholesterol
While cholesterol in and of itself is not bad (you need some), excess cholesterol can build up in the inner walls of your parent’s arteries, increasing the risk that a small blood clot will get stuck and block flow to the brain or heart.
Know family history
Talk to your parent about her family history so she’ll know to mention this to her personal physician. Having the knowledge of a family history of heart disease will alert the doctor to watch it more closely.
Stay active
The more she moves and keeps active, the more the heart is kept in shape and other contributors such as excess weight are eliminated. Encourage daily activity with your elderly parent. Your elder care provider can be helpful in taking your parent out for a walk or another type of exercise each day.
Eat healthily
When shopping, encourage your parent to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables, along with lean meat and fish for her meals. Keeping high-fat snacks out of the home will reduce temptation.
Simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference when your mother or grandmother is working to reduce her risk of heart disease. February is a great month to reevaluate what you can do in all of these areas to help her live a heart-healthy life.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Senior Care in Newark, DE, please contact the caring staff at Macklyn Home Care today. (302) 691-3217
Source: https://www.goredforwomen.org/en