5 Ways to Help Your Elder Improve Their Heart Health
February is American Heart Month, a time to recognize the importance of heart health, acknowledge the risk of heart disease, and encourage healthy habits! These concerns apply to seniors in particular. If you have one at risk of heart disease, urge them to eat a healthy diet, engage in physical activity, and practice heart health awareness. You can also seek an all-inclusive senior care community to help your loved one manage their overall condition.
Tysons Woods of Arlington, VA, prioritizes its residents’ heart and holistic health all year long. Our staff understands the difficulty of elder care, and our services allow families to focus on quality time instead. Plus, we conduct pre-admission assessments to ensure that your loved one receives the treatments and support they need. For more information, call us today at (703) 846-0395.
Below, we discuss 5 ways to help your loved one improve their heart health:
1. Encourage Them to Eat a Healthy Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet is the best way to ensure a healthy heart. It’s also much easier for elders to regulate what they eat than to try and burn it off with exercise.
You should encourage your senior to read all nutrition labels and look for foods low in calories but rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Also, ask them to substances with sugar, and saturated/trans fats, like high-fat dairy and meats.
Tysons Woods helps its residents maintain a healthy diet by providing home-cooked meals catered to each patient’s dietary restrictions and nutritional needs.
2. Encourage Them to Exercise
While seniors may struggle with it, exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight and increase both physical fitness and well-being. It also reduces heart disease risk factors, including high cholesterol and blood pressure.
Exercise does not require lifting weights or running marathons; even walking for 15 or 20 minutes can help! Tysons Woods Assisted Living encourages residents to stay active with anything from daily walks to gardening. Nonetheless, before beginning a new exercise plan, always have your loved one consult their primary care physician.
3. Make Sure They Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is crucial for heart health, brain function, and general wellness. The risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and stroke rises with lack of sleep.
Make sure your senior gets enough sleep by asking them to avoid nicotine and caffeine, maintain a sleep schedule, and keep their bedroom dark and quiet.
4. Assist in Minimizing Unnecessary Stress
An aging loved one’s immune system and brain function can be affected by stress and lead to anxiety or depression. Moreover, high levels of stress can contribute to heart disease risk factors or heart attacks.
So, help your elder minimize any stresses they may face. They can speak with their doctor or a licensed therapist and try relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation.
5. Manage Their Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
The two greatest risks of heart disease–the leading cause of death worldwide–are high cholesterol and blood pressure. Seniors, especially those with diabetes and smoking habits, thus stand at the greatest risk.
Know both the symptoms and your loved one’s personal risk for heart disease. The caregivers at Tysons Woods work to manage cholesterol and blood pressure for our patients by way of medical care and medication management.
Tysons Woods: Daily, All-Inclusive Senior Care in Arlington, VA
Tysons Woods is an all-inclusive, personal senior care community for elders in Arlington, VA. From heart health to mental health, when your loved one’s needs grow, we make sure they’re getting the best care possible. Let us relieve your care duties, so you have more time and peace of mind. To see if Tysons Woods is right for your loved one, call (703) 846-0395 today.
