heart health

We only have one, and it’s important to treat it with all the love and care we can! Keeping our heart healthy is vital for all of us, but for seniors in particular, it can take a little extra effort to prevent serious complications such as heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure and more. Valentine’s Day offers the perfect opportunity to show some love to our hearts to ensure they continue to take care of us for years to come!

Compassionate Nursing Services of St. Louis offers the following tips to improve heart health in older adults:

  • Kick stress to the curb. Unmanaged stress can heighten a senior’s risk for developing heart disease, and also result in making some unhealthy lifestyle choices. Find a trusted family member, friend, counselor, or clergy member to help you alleviate stress and come up with a healthy way to keep it under control.
  • Keep moving. Exercise and physical activity benefit us in a plethora of ways, from enhancing cognitive functioning to improving mood and socialization, to maintaining a healthy weight and improving heart functioning. Strive for at least 30 minutes of exercise every day if possible.
  • Quit bad habits. Unhealthy food choices, smoking, and consuming too much alcohol can all wreak havoc on our hearts.
  • Control chronic conditions. Health issues such as diabetes and high blood pressure increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack. Be sure to closely follow doctors’ orders, keep up with regular medical check-ups, and take medications exactly as prescribed, including daily aspirin if recommended by the doctor.

If these symptoms of heart disease are experienced, be sure to seek immediate medical assistance:

  • Chest pain or pressure
  • Back, shoulder or neck pain
  • Faintness, light-headedness, weakness
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Breathlessness
  • Sweating
  • Heartbeat that is irregular
  • Feelings of indigestion or fullness

Unlike the personal care services provided by many home care agencies or independent caregivers, Compassionate Nursing Services provides both personal care/homemaker services, such as help with bathing, dressing, housekeeping, transportation, companionship and more, as well as a full range of skilled nursing care services. As a result, seniors with conditions such as heart disease can count on us for specialized in-home medical care to ensure they remain as healthy as possible – right in the comfort of home.

We also offer the added security and peace of mind to families in knowing that all of our caregivers and nurses receive extensive training and certification – over 120 hours of specialized training, in fact, compared to other agencies that offer an average of only 10. We want seniors to feel safe and secure at all times in our care, which is why we’re happy to go the extra mile.

For assistance with improving the overall wellbeing of your senior loved ones, call on Compassionate Nursing Services of St. Louis. Simply complete our online contact form, or give us a call at 314-432-4312 and we’ll be ready and waiting to help!