Helping Your Elderly Loved One's Heart

Elderly Care in Lowell MI

Heart disease is a preventable disease, but often our elderly loved ones are so bogged down in their bad habits that they’re not interested in changing on their own. The key is to find out where your loved one is starting out and then finding a gentle plan to get and keep him healthy.

Get to Know His Numbers

Especially if you’re just starting out on the heart health journey, it’s important to know just where you stand. Talk to your loved one’s medical team and find out where his HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol levels sit. Also important are his triglycerides, his weight, and his blood pressure. If those numbers are out of date at all, it’s time to have a new round of testing done. Once you know where the starting line is, you can make a plan for improving the numbers if necessary.

Talk About the Changes He Wants to Make

Numbers aren’t everything, and if your elderly loved one isn’t feeling all that great lately, maybe he’s open to making some changes. Some people think that getting healthy means making wide, sweeping changes all at once, but that isn’t necessary. Talk with your loved one about the changes he might feel comfortable with and then develop a plan to ease him into those changes.

Help Him with Exercise

Exercise is a huge part of improving heart health, but your loved one probably won’t enjoy moving more if he’s being nagged to do it. Instead, make exercising together a fun activity. Try taking nature walks around the block or doing fun things like playing catch with the grandkids. Once your loved one gets used to moving a little more regularly, his body will feel ready to do more. Few people get into a sedentary lifestyle overnight, and it takes longer than a few days to work back into being more active.

Provide Healthy Foods that He Loves

Healthy foods are wonderful, but if your elderly loved one isn’t used to preparing those types of meals, he might balk a bit more. If you’ve got time to cook for him, then stocking up his fridge and freezer a few times a month can make a huge difference. Another option is to find elder care providers who can tackle that task for your elderly loved one. The big payoff is that you want your loved one to eat healthier, and it’s important to make those foods appealing to him so that he’ll stick with that way of eating.

Taking care of your loved one’s heart health doesn’t have to be a battle. Work with him to find a plan that works for his lifestyle.

If you or someone you know needs help with elderly care services in Lowell, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.

Source
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/basics/definition/con-20034056

• Author
• Recent Posts

Gauthier Family Home Care

Owner at Gauthier Family Home Care

Call (616) 258-2300. Gauthier Family Home Care exists to provide options for our clients to retain their independence in their own homes, improve their quality of life and support their extended families. We will accomplish that by providing compassionate, professional caregivers who will nurture, stimulate, and cater to each client’s specific needs without fail.

Latest posts by Gauthier Family Home Care (see all)

• Caregiver of the Month – May 2024 - April 30, 2024
• Understanding Osteoporosis and What to Look for in Your Aging Loved Ones - April 23, 2024
• What Your Senior Needs When Going to the Hospital - April 17, 2024