Heart disease is a serious health issue and it can sneak up on your elderly family member. There are signs, however, and when you can recognize some of these symptoms in the earliest stages, your senior may have better options for managing her health. Here are 7 signs to watch for and how home care assistance can play a role in your senior’s care.
GI Symptoms
Many people with heart disease experience gastrointestinal symptoms, like nausea or heartburn, well before they realize they’re dealing with heart disease. Other symptoms might include stomach pain or even vomiting. There can be a lot of reasons for these symptoms, but it’s a good idea to mention them to your senior’s doctor.
Dizziness or Lightheadedness
Heart disease can cause issues with blood pressure and other aspects of cardiovascular health. This can lead to situations in which your elderly family member starts to suddenly feel dizzy or lightheaded. She may even feel as if she’s unsafe to walk on a regular basis. Combined with other symptoms, this is something her doctor needs to know.
Pain or Discomfort in the Chest
Discomfort or pain in the chest is never good news. It shouldn’t be ignored, either. If your elderly family member is experiencing any sort of pain or discomfort in her chest, make sure that you mention it to her doctor. Getting the situation checked out is always important to do.
Pain Elsewhere
Your senior’s chest isn’t the only place she might experience pain if she’s having heart trouble. People with heart disease may experience pain in their jaw, shoulder, or arm, too. There can be other causes for pain in these areas, but if your elderly family member is experiencing some of these other symptoms, it could be an early warning sign.
Exhaustion and Fatigue
When it comes to dealing with heart disease, your senior’s body is exhausted and working harder than it ever has just to perform daily functions. Your senior may feel as if she’s never well-rested, no matter how much she sleeps. Home care assistance can help to make sure that your senior’s home is clean and tidy and that she’s got help with tasks that are becoming more difficult.
Swelling in Extremities
Swelling, or edema, in your senior’s feet and lower legs could be related to heart disease. That’s because fluid buildup in the extremities can indicate that the heart is having a more difficult time pumping blood efficiently. Heart disease can also affect how well other organ systems, like the kidneys, function. In turn, that means that those systems may not work as efficiently, either.
Unexplained Cough
Fluid tends to build up in the lungs, too, in the early stages of heart disease. Your senior might experience a cough that she can’t connect to anything else. Coughing that produces pink mucus is definitely something to discuss with your senior’s doctor.
If your elderly family member is in the beginning stages of heart disease, home care assistance can help her immensely. From dealing with changes to her daily routine and adopting new eating and movement habits, your senior can use home care assistance to get her through.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Greenwood Village, CO, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Denver today. 303-756-9322
