Risk Factors that Increase the Likelihood of Heart Failure
Personal care at home can help seniors reduce the risks of heart failure through nutrition and daily support.
Heart failure is a serious condition that affects millions of people, particularly older adults. While it can be overwhelming to learn about the risks and symptoms, understanding them is the first step in preventing heart failure or managing its progression. With the right knowledge and support, including personal care at home services, you can help your loved one reduce their risks and maintain a healthier lifestyle.
This article explores the causes, risk factors, and ways to mitigate the likelihood of heart failure, empowering you to take proactive steps towards better heart health.
Heart Failure is Not a Heart Attack
Heart failure (also called congestive heart failure) is a chronic condition where the heart struggles to pump enough blood for the body to function properly. This can cause blood and fluid to build up in areas like the lungs and legs. For those over 65, it is a leading cause of hospitalization.
Managing heart failure often includes medical treatment and lifestyle adjustments, and personal care at home providers can play a crucial role in improving quality of life by providing support with daily tasks and monitoring health effectively.
Heart Failure Symptoms
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling as edema develops in the feet, legs, and belly
- Weight gain
- A dry, hacking cough
- Fatigue
- Heart palpitations
Risk Factors for Developing Heart Failure
- These diseases and conditions can increase your loved one’s risk of developing heart failure.
- Having had a previous heart attack. The damage from the heart attack may make his heart unable to pump blood as well as it should.
- High blood pressure can increase the risk because the heart is working overtime at all times to pump blood through the body and becomes worn out more quickly.
- An irregular heartbeat can weaken heart muscles, especially if it occurs frequently and the heartbeat is unusually fast or strong.
- Coronary artery disease is one of the leading causes of heart failure. With coronary artery disease, the arteries become overly narrow and limit the supply of oxygen-rich blood that can reach the heart, weakening it over time.
- If your loved one has diabetes, it can increase his risk of developing other conditions that may weaken his heart such as high blood pressure or coronary artery disease.
- Sleep apnea is the inability to reach deep levels of sleep. Without being able to get the proper type of sleep needed, your loved one may develop low-oxygen blood levels and have irregular heartbeats, which both can lead to heart failure.
- Viral infections such as COVID-19 have been known to damage the heart muscle.
Mitigating the Risks with Personal Care at Home
If your loved one has multiple risk factors that could lead to heart failure, you can help him reduce those risks by implementing some changes at home and as a part of his lifestyle. From maintaining a healthy weight to eating the proper diet to getting regular exercise, your loved one can take steps to reduce their risk of developing heart failure.
Lifestyle changes can often be difficult to implement and maintain, especially if your elderly loved one lives alone and doesn’t have anyone to help him be accountable for his choices. A personal care at home provider is a great resource for someone looking to make specific changes to how they live in order to meet the doctor’s recommendations.
A personal care at home provider can help your loved one with shopping and meal planning that is catered to what his doctor’s recommendations are, making it easier for him to stay on track. His personal care at home provider can also offer support and encouragement if he decides to begin a new physical fitness goal.
With personal care at home being a part of his routine, your loved one will have the support he needs to be successful in implementing and maintaining a healthier lifestyle that will support his heart’s health.
If you or someone you know needs Personal Care at Home in Bay Minette, AL, please contact the friendly caregivers at Hughes Home Care. We provide quality and affordable care for your elderly loved ones in our community. Serving Mobile & Baldwin County. Call us today at (251) 517-9901
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It is his passion and commitment to providing quality and responsive service that has made their company the fastest growing home care agency in South Alabama.
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