Being a family caregiver for your aging parent is not just about identifying the problems that your senior already has and taking steps to help them to manage those issues. It is also about identifying the risks that they face and doing what you can to help them to prevent serious health problems as they age in place. This can protect their health and enable them to live a more fulfilling lifestyle as they age in place.
September is Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month. This is the perfect time for you to learn about this potentially dangerous condition and if there are ways that you can help your parent to reduce their risk.
One of the most pressing risk factors for AFib is age. It is very rare for young people to develop this condition, and approximately 9 percent of the population of adults over the age of 64 suffers from it. This is not something that you can control or change, but it does give you the ability to recognize the increasing risk of this condition for your parent.
Some things that you can do to help prevent AFib in your aging parent, however, include:
• Control blood pressure. High blood pressure puts your parent at greater risk of developing AFib. If they are dealing with hypertension, ensure that your senior manages and controls this condition properly. This reduces their AFib risk as well as their risk for many other health problems.
• Be prepared after surgery. AFib is the most common complication that patients suffer after undergoing heart surgery. If your senior is going to undergo this type of surgery, be aware of this risk and talk to their doctor about how you can reduce the risk as they recover.
• Reduce alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption, especially binge drinking, puts your parent at increased risk of AFib. Encourage your parent to cut down on or eliminate their alcohol consumption.
• Treat sleep apnea. Though it is not fully understood, there is thought to be a link between obstructive sleep apnea and AFib. If your parent lives with sleep apnea, make sure that it is properly controlled to reduce this risk
If you have been looking for ways to enhance your parent’s quality of life, ensure that they get all of the care and support that they need, and encourage them to maintain as much independence and fulfillment as possible as they age in place, starting elderly care for them may be the ideal choice. An elderly home care services provider can be with your parent on a schedule that is right for both of you, ensuring that you are able to manage your parent’s care in the way that you can while also filling care gaps efficiently and effectively. The highly personalized services of such a care provider are specifically tailored to address your loved one’s individual needs, challenges, and limitations so that they can pursue a lifestyle that is safe, healthy, comfortable, independent, and fulfilling as they age in place.
https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_atrial_fibrillation.htm
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/AboutArrhythmia/What-is-Atrial-Fibrillation-AFib-or-AF_UCM_423748_Article.jsp#.WZbe5vmGPIU
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING IN-HOME ELDERLY CARE IN SUMMERLIN, NV, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE. CALL TODAY 702-800-4616.