American Heart Month is Here: Learn How Caregivers Lower Cardiac Risk

In support of American Heart Month, today’s post highlights a few ways our caregivers help Brookfield seniors stay healthy and reduce risks of cardiac conditions

Read on to learn more about how we support seniors’ heart health as part of every care plan, or call (262)-439-8616 to schedule a caregiver consultation straight away.

4 ways caregivers keep Brookfield seniors’ hearts healthy

Despite advancements in medical science and nutrition, research by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) suggests that the rates of heart disease-related deaths are rising across the United States.

But take heart: most cardiac conditions are preventable through simple lifestyle changes, and our caregivers make it easy to implement healthy behaviors into your loved ones’ daily routine.

These are just a few of the ways we’re helping seniors reduce their risks of heart disease, all of which are included as part of every customized care plan at no extra cost.

1. Senior caregivers reduce stress levels. “The cardiovascular consequences of cortisol excess are protean and include elevation of blood pressure, truncal obesity, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia,” states a seminal study by the Vascular Health and Risk Management journal.But with our caregivers by their side, your loved ones will stress less, knowing their unique needs and aging goals are always being met, and that there is a dedicated professional monitoring their safety at all times. We can also help implement stress-reduction practices, such as therapeutic breathing, meditation, and daily exercise, into their daily routines.
2. Senior caregivers simplify heart-healthy diets. You are what you eat, and your heart is only as healthy as your diet. Indeed, one study by the Nursing and Residential Care journal declares that diet is “the way to a healthy heart.” Researching, buying, and preparing heart-healthy foods takes a lot of time and effort, especially for seniors who already struggle with activities of daily living. But our caregivers automate the entire process, taking care of the grocery shopping, food prep, cooking, and clean-up, so your loved one only has to show up hungry to get more heart-healthy foods into their diet.
3. Senior caregivers help manage pre-existing conditions. Blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes all increase your loved ones’ risks of heart disease, so managing these pre-existing conditions is integral for senior heart health. To that end, our caregivers can help your loved ones book regular blood tests, adhere to special diets, manage medications, and generally improve communications with healthcare professionals by monitoring/reporting home symptoms, facilitating easy booking and transportation to-and-from clinics, and staying on top of check-up schedules.
4. Senior caregivers create more opportunities for exercise. Exercise strengthens the heart and directly counteracts many of the high-risk conditions associated with cardiac issues, so make time for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. This can be tricky for seniors who lack reliable transportation or access to gym equipment, but our caregivers can help, driving them to their favorite studios or senior centers on-demand, purchasing any home gym equipment they request, and joining them on gentle walks for some added motivation.

Schedule a free caregiver consultation in Brookfield, WI

To learn more about how we’re supporting seniors’ heart health, and get a free quote on any custom care plan, you can:

• Call (262)-439-8616
• Email [email protected]
• Fill out our online contact form

References

Merriman, S. (2013). Cardiovascular disease and diet: The way to a healthy heart. Nursing & Residential Care, 15(1), 22-25.

Whitworth, J. A., Williamson, P. M., Mangos, G., & Kelly, J. J. (2005). Cardiovascular consequences of cortisol excess. Vascular Health and Risk Management, 1(4), 291-299.