Your senior’s cardiovascular system is a crucial part of her overall health. Keeping her heart as healthy as possible is absolutely vital and it’s probably easier than you think.
Talk to Her Doctor about What She’s Experiencing
It’s really important to know where your senior stands in terms of heart health. If your elderly family member hasn’t been to her doctor in a while, she really needs to set up an appointment and get an overview of what she’s up against. Even if she goes to her doctor regularly, she may still need to get a better idea what her heart is doing in particular. She should mention any symptoms she’s experiencing, just in case.
What She Eats Can Help or Hurt
One of the changes your senior might need to make could be around what she’s eating. Her dietary choices can help or hinder heart health, and it’s important that she understands how her diet does that. If she’s eating a lot of processed foods, for instance, those tend to be higher in sugar and salt. A whole foods diet that includes fruit, veggies, and lean proteins is a great choice. Cooking all the time can feel like a lot, though, which is where elderly care services can be a huge help.
Exercise Makes a Difference
Moving more, particularly by moving in ways that gets the heart and lungs working, makes a huge difference. Your elderly family member’s doctor can help her to understand what types of exercise are right for her and how much of that exercise she should be doing. Starting out slowly and gradually increasing activity levels is the best approach. The goal is to build heart strength, not to overwhelm the heart.
Take a Closer Look at Potentially Harmful Habits
There are a lot of habits that your senior may have engaged in for the majority of her life that are tough to give up. Alcohol and cigarettes are two choices that can seriously hinder heart health. Neither are necessarily easy for your senior to quit, though. Her doctor may have some tools to offer that can seriously help your elderly family member, if she’s ready to move on from those habits.
Making even small changes can help your elderly family member to improve her heart health a little bit more. Continuing to pay attention to heart healthy choices can really pay off for your elderly family member.
If you or an aging loved one is considering elderly care in Huntley, MT, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Billings today at 406-839-2390.
