February is American Heart Month, offering everyone an opportunity to think about their heart health. Heart disease is a leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States, but it’s also largely preventable. If you’re like most Americans, though, your heart health might not be something you think about often. There’s no better time than now to learn! Here are four facts you should know about heart health for seniors. 1. Heart Disease – This is an “umbrella” phrase used to describe a wide variety of diseases that affect the heart and its blood vessels. All sorts of conditions fall under that umbrella, including arrhythmias (heart rhythm issues), coronary artery disease, and at
If you are the caregiver for an aging loved one, you have probably wondered what many of the acronyms and terms used in the long-term care industry mean. The terminology can be confusing and difficult to understand. Here are a few of the more common terms. ADL: If you have started exploring long term care, you’ve likely come across this term. It stands for “Activities of Daily Living.” These are the tasks a senior needs to complete on a daily basis. They include: eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, walking, and transferring to a chair or bed. In long term care, the amount of assistance a resident requires with ADLs is used to determine their need for skilled nursing care.
Eating a low salt diet can provide you with a multitude of health benefits. Likewise, so can eating certain minerals like calcium and potassium. Did you know that eating a diet low in salt and high in certain nutrients may serve to lower your blood pressure too? There’s a name for such a diet: the DASH Diet. Following the DASH Diet may help seniors and younger adults manage their blood pressure. It’s important to eat for your heart no matter what stage of life you’re in. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It’s more of a program for healthy living than a mere diet. It’s a lifestyle designed to make you healthier. Just a few weeks of following the program may result in a
Growing older doesn’t mean you have to give up enjoying life. But the aging process does bring inevitable changes so it’s important to know what’s normal and what could signify a problem. It’s a fact that after the age of 75, the rate of emergency department visits increases. Seniors can hopefully stay out of the ER by learning these common reasons for visits and incorporating our tips to help prevent them. 1. Injuries from Falls Falling is the number one source of injury in seniors causing everything from fractured hips to head trauma. There are multiple health issues that can lead to falls, many of which are part of the normal aging process. Osteoarthritis, for example, is a natural proces
