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Every heartbeat matters – especially as we age.
Heart Health Month in February is a great time to refresh our knowledge on how to care for this vital organ. Because the risk of cardiovascular disease increases with age, heart health awareness is especially important for seniors and their caregivers.
Even though cardiovascular disease is a leading health concern for aging adults, simple, daily choices can significantly impact heart wellness. While we can’t control how our hearts naturally become less efficient as we age, we can take charge of lifestyle factors that support cardiovascular health and resilience. Small actions add up!
This article provides practical heart health tips to help seniors thrive, from managing daily activities to adapting seasonal routines. We'll explore evidence-based strategies that make heart-healthy living both achievable and sustainable for seniors and their loved ones who care for them.
Senior heart health starts with consistent daily practices. Heart-related incidents most often occur within the first few hours of waking. For that reason, it’s important to take time to ease into active or stressful activities, especially early in the day.
It’s also vital to quit smoking, as smoking is responsible for one in four cardiovascular disease deaths.
Here are some additional habits that are vital for maintaining good heart health:
Regular physical activity strengthens your heart while improving circulation and balance. Start with gentle exercises such as walking or water aerobics, aiming for about 150 minutes of moderate activity per week.
Remember to:
Most heart health tips center on diet – and with good reason! The American Heart Association provides ten easy-to-remember tips to help guide dietary choices. Eating patterns that support cardiovascular strength include:
Emotional well-being plays a crucial role in heart health. According to heart.org, ”Stress may lead to high blood pressure, which can pose a risk for heart attack and stroke.” So, it’s important to incorporate stress-reducing activities into your daily routine, such as:
It’s important for everyone to be aware of common heart attack warning signs, so that they can seek proper medical care for themselves or a loved one. The American Heart Association has published a resource to help summarize the most common heart attack signs and what to do.
According to the AMA, heart attacks can present suddenly or develop gradually with mild symptoms. Key warning signs include chest discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes or comes and goes, often feeling like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, or pain in the center of the chest.
Watch for discomfort that extends beyond the chest to other areas of the upper body, including one or both arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Shortness of breath may occur with or without chest pain. Additional warning signs include breaking out in a cold sweat, experiencing nausea, or feeling lightheaded.
Women may experience these symptoms differently, often reporting more subtle signs like shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
If you notice any of these signs, don't delay seeking help – call emergency services immediately. It's better to have a false alarm than to wait too long for potentially life-saving care!
Whether you’re recovering from heart surgery, a heart transplant, or a cardiovascular event like a heart attack, it’s especially important to take good care of your health.
For those recovering from heart procedures, additional care helps ensure successful healing.
Most heart transplant doctors recommend that heart transplant patients return home after they are discharged from the hospital, as opposed to going into a skilled nursing facility. The primary reason for this preference is that patients are less likely to develop an infection at home than in a nursing facility, as there is greater control over who is near the patient.
Because the patient’s body treats the new heart as foreign, the immune system can attack it, so doctors prescribe drugs that suppress the immune response. However, this can leave the patient vulnerable to infection. Family members and other caregivers need to monitor the patient closely for signs of rejection and infection.
Heart transplant patients need to take their medications at the same time each day and ensure they have the prescription refilled a few days before they are finished with their current supply of medication.
To improve the chances of success with a transplant, caregivers should record the care recipient’s weight, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature daily. Caregivers should also wash their hands frequently, avoid giving their care recipient raw or undercooked foods, and thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables to reduce the risk of bacteria.
Caregivers should also watch for indications of possible heart transplant rejection, including:
If the recipient of care exhibits any of these signs, contact a doctor immediately.
Best Care understands the importance of supporting heart health through every stage of aging. Contact our team to learn how we can help support caregivers and their recipients of care, especially as they work to maintain heart-healthy practices.
