Improving nutrition in the elderly heart disease Causes and Prevention

In elderly persons, heart disease is a common illness and the leading major cause of death. The main reasons for doctor visits and hospital stays are heart failure, coronary heart disease, and atrial fibrillation.

As you become older, the heart’s blood vessels stiffen, which could lead to these problems later in life. High cholesterol is the most frequent heart disease in elder people over 75, followed by coronary artery disease and cardiac failure.

Plaque builds up in the bloodstream and blood vessels which leads to the heart, resulting in heart disease. This prevents your heart from getting vital nutrients and oxygen. During such time an Elderly care service plays an effective role. The Causes and prevention required to improve the nutrition in the elderly heart disease patients are detailed below.

Causes of heart disease

The most common cause of heart disease is the accumulation of fatty hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis is caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits that include a poor diet, lack of physical activity, being overweight, and smoking. Although genetic factors play a part in the development of heart disease, poor lifestyle choices also play a role.

The following are some bad lifestyle choices that might lead to heart disease:

Not getting enough physical activity and leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Consuming a diet heavy in saturated fats, trans fats, sugary foods, and salts.
Being in a high-stress situation without learning how to manage stress.
Not being able to control your diabetes.
Smoking.
Consuming alcohol.

Preventive steps towards heart disease

You can prevent future heart disease by incorporating four important steps into your daily routine:

Smoking is not permitted.
Keep a healthy weight.
Be active and exercise.
Maintain a balanced diet.

Smoking

Avoiding cigarettes in any form is among the best things you could do for your health. Tobacco usage is a difficult habit to kick out that can make you slower, sicker, and damage your health. It does this in several ways, one of which is by causing heart disease. According to the study, quitting smoking can reduce substantially the increased risk associated with smoking.
Nicotine, which is delivered via tobacco products, is among the most addicting chemicals known to man. As a result, tobacco use is one of the most difficult unhealthy habits to stop. But don’t give up; many smokers succeed in quitting!

Keep a healthy weight

Weight gain and a high waist circumference are both linked to heart disease among many other health issues.
Body mass index (BMI) was found to be a substantial risk factor for heart disease in a study of over one million women. The risk of heart attack and stroke rises in step with one’s BMI.

Be active and exercise

Physical activity and exercise are good strategies to avoid heart disease and a variety of other diseases and ailments, but as we age, many of us become less active.
Physical activity and exercise are beneficial to the body, but inactivity is harmful to the body, increasing the risk of becoming overweight and suffering a variety of chronic diseases.

Maintain a balanced diet.

Although you may be aware that some foods raise your risk of heart disease, altering your dietary habits might be difficult. whether you’ve been eating badly for years or just want to fine-tune your diet. You’ll be on your way to a heart-healthy diet as you understand which foodstuffs to eat more and which ones to limit.

The best diet for preventing heart disease is one that is high in fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts, fish, poultry, and vegetable oils; alcohol is consumed in moderation, if at all; and red and processed meats, refined carbohydrates, carbonated beverages with added sugar, sodium, and trans fat are avoided.

Many types of heart disease can indeed be avoided or cured by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Let’s do our part, by treating our hearts right!

How a nurse at home can be helpful for a patient with respiratory diseases?

When living with respiratory diseases, breathing is a very difficult task. Respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder (CPOD), interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, and so on requires a lot more care than just the oral medicines provided. Proper care and attention are to be required by experts to help you treat such disease with good effect and get fast recovery. For the solution to such problems Home nursing services are available, where the nurses keep the patients in complete observation and provide the patients with respiratory care at home.

However, nowadays doctors are also suggestions for home care so that the patients can recover fast in the family surroundings with ward boy services delivered and arranged just like the hospital. The nursing caretakers aides to create a management plan and deliver hospital treatment in the comfort of their own homes.

When the blood does not have much oxygen and contains too much carbon dioxide, it becomes difficult for a person to breathe resulting in respiratory diseases. The nurse at home can give you assistance with personal care and hygiene which includes Bathing, Toileting, Dressing, Grooming, and more. They even provide oxygen therapies that relieve pain and restore functionality. Apart from that, they look after the daily tasks of monitoring your blood pressure and giving the required medicines and injections on time. Some of the exercises they provide include:

Exercising your breath:

Helps to breathe smoothly and receive maximum oxygen.

Exercising aerobically:

Helps to physically move the body resulting in improving blood circulation.

Exercising your position:

Helps in improving the volume of the lungs so that the breathing efforts are decreased.

To take care of patients, the caretaker needs to be alert and have patience at the same time. But to provide the best care possible is the bigger task. To deal with such a situation you can hire professional nursing caretakers who are the best at the job. The Patient care services in Nashik and Pune are the best services providing a range of Care services like:

Elderly Care
Physiotherapy Care
Newborn Care
Post-surgery Care
Respiratory Care and so on.

Create better quality patient care by connecting to the best services for your loved one!

How meditation can help the elderly?

Meditation has been practiced for generations to assist people in feeling more at ease. Meditation has grown in popularity in recent years as a result of its scientifically proven advantages.
Meditation is a form of directing your mind to concentrate, relax, and refocus your thoughts. Mindfulness training can improve self-care patterns and relationships while also increasing awareness and self-reflection.
Meditation relaxes the mind and keeps it engaged. Meditation offers huge health benefits to elderly people who are trying to maintain their health.

Some of the benefits meditation can help elderly people are provided below:

Controls pain

Elderly people and pain are many relatable factors. The chronic pain occurring in the body increases with age and is the highest as you grow older. At these times mindful meditation is the best cure, as our body reacts according to our mind. When the mind is all calmed and relaxed it can automatically lower the pain.

Boosts Immunity

Meditation plays a vital role in boosting our immune system. While a person meditates the cortisol levels of the body are boosted, suppressing damaged processes going on within the body. Various inflammatory diseases like irritable bowel syndrome are also treated with meditation.

Improves the Strength and Balance

Meditation with smooth yoga poses helps the elderly to balance their body which can avoid them to fall off easily, as at this age just a fall results in a huge injury.

Better Sleep quality

Sleep problems are a big issue in elderly people. Meditating just before your sleep time brings peace to the mind, releasing tension from your body. Hence providing a night of better sleep.

Reduces Anxiety and Stress

Meditation is a well-known stress buster from all the tensions and anxiety. Meditation eliminates the emotional trauma going on within the body due to stress. As elderly people go through a lot of stress from going to the nursing home to dealing with their daily life, meditation plays a huge role in calming them.

Controls Blood pressure

Blood pressure in the body is controlled by meditation as it gives peace to the body, releasing stress. Studies have also proved that meditation along with some light exercises, benefits mild hypertension and heart patients.

Memory Enhancement

As you grow older, you tend to lose your memory power. But, meditation can help you slow down the process. Meditating for at least 30 minutes per day mindfully increases the gray matter in the brain, which plays a vital role in learning and maintaining memory power.

Giving yourself time to meditate is the best way to stay healthy for elder people. At least meditation for 20-30 minutes per day does its part in keeping you healthy. It just needs a little push to start up the schedule. Sit away from all the distractions in a calm place and start inhaling and exhaling deep breaths. This will clear the mind releasing stress.

Meditation lightens you up. So just quiet your mind and let the soul speak!

How to Recognize Mental Health Problems in the Elderly?

Are you searching for any home nursing services or elderly care services around you? The World Health Organization states that around 15% of adults aged sixty and over suffer from a mental disorder. If you notice confusion, changes in weight, short-term memory loss, unexplained fatigue, signs of depression, social withdrawal, and general disinterest in living among your loved ones then there are chances that your loved ones might be suffering from mental health problems.

As older people are reluctant and ignore their health problems especially if the health issues are related to mental health. They need constant care, support, and attention. Because early detection is the key to helping them out of the suffering, they are not aware of it. There are times when you might not be able to give them time because of your busy working schedules as managing work and the office is not easy. That is when you should opt for home care services.

A sudden requirement of any urgency and you are relieved since your nursing caretaker is there to guarantee their demands are satisfied. Because your nurse at home is constantly available putting both you and them at ease. It is also very normal for you to be concerned about your parents; as they become older, you wonder how they will get along day to day.

You can hire a professional nursing caretaker who will take your place. As it is very natural for changes to occur as and when your loved ones start ageing. Minor memory loss is common and natural as one ages, but the ones which are long term like persistent cognitive or memory loss can be a major issue. Extreme anxiety and long-term depression are some major signs that your loved ones might be suffering from a mental disorder. Signs like sudden changes in appearance or dressing, confusion, disorientation, difficulty in concentration, and decision making are the signs that can be easily observed. Even there are appetite fluctuations, changes in weight, mood swings, constant depression and suicidal thoughts that are lasting for more than two weeks, social withdrawal and distancing themselves and cutting off from everything and everyone suddenly. You might even observe that they might have issues with numbers and counting regularly.

Another major sign is that they might have unexplained fatigue, energy loss, or changes in their sleeping pattern. A qualified nurse at home may be of great assistance for you since they understand the illness and have all the necessary abilities and expertise to deal with patients suffering from mental disorders. A nurse at home will ensure they have their medicines on time creation you rest assured even when you are not available.

After all, any incurable illness requires a lot of patience, support, and understanding. It is a big decision to take, but professional home nursing services are bound to improve the quality of life of your loved ones and reduce your stress to the maximum.

How to select an In-Home caregiver for loved ones with dementia?

We always want to give only the best for our loved ones as they did when we were young. Choosing a professional nursing caretaker can be daunting and tiring. When your loved one is suffering from dementia, it is an exceedingly difficult stage for both of you. A lot of us might be uncertain of how to deal with our loved ones suffering from dementia. That is when we need expert help from professionals.

Watching their mental health deteriorate is extremely saddening and painful. It becomes difficult to manage your home when you are a working individual. That is when you entrust your loved one who might be suffering from dementia to a professional nursing caretaker. Trusting your loved one with a professional home nursing services is assuring. You can be mentally and physically more present at your place of work.

A report suggests that every year, 10 million new cases of dementia are diagnosed worldwide, suggesting that one new instance is diagnosed every 3.2 seconds. Dementia is a non-curable disease. It only goes on increasing with time. Anxiety and paranoia are the most common symptoms observed during this phase. Caring for the elderly with dementia is problematic because it needs education, patience, and understanding. Families generally lack the expertise and skills to comprehend age-related diseases and fail to care for their loved one. It is also heartbreaking to see your loving parents psychologically degrade. A qualified nurse at home may be of great assistance since they understand the illness and have all the necessary abilities and expertise to deal with dementia patients. According to a medical report, persons who have a home care services facility at home live longer lives. Receiving emotional, physical, medical, and specialized care in the comfort of their own homes allows seniors to enjoy a better and longer life Because no one can replace the comfort zone of one’s own home.

It is important that you do a thorough groundwork before consulting any home nursing services. Because you need a professional who is experienced to manage the patients who are suffering from dementia. Verify their experience, certificate, run a background check and so on. Bonding is another factor that is important between your loved one and their nursing caretaker. The tie and connection between a caregiver and the elderly can only be developed through time. Because no connection unfolds in a day or two, patience and time are important considerations.

Dementia patients experience mood changes. They may be fine at one moment and restless and depressed at the other. Abundant patience and kindness are required. Being frustrated or annoyed over little reactions is not going to help. Dementia requires enough understanding and patience from their nursing caretaker so that your loved ones feel relaxed, and you will be relieved. The more consistent a dementia patient’s life is, the better. Routine is critical because it allows persons suffering from this horrible disease to stay independent and in charge of their life.

A nursing caretaker who regularly shows up for their planned shifts will not only enhance their patient’s general attitude, but they may also improve their dementia symptoms. It is critical that the caregiver you employ understands the significance of this. This guarantees that your loved one has the stability they require from their in-home specialist to flourish and remain healthy for a longer period.

How To Take Care Of Bedsores

If you are a person who is completely tied up with your day-to-day work and must juggle between the office and house errands. Then having a nurse at home who is available 24/7 to take care of your elderly or your bedridden loved one, from looking after their personal hygiene to ensuring that they feel comfortable is a positive advantage to your fast-paced lifestyle. It is extremely difficult and saddening to watch your loved one as a bedridden patient. Bedridden patients need your utmost care, support, and undivided attention as they completely are helpless and look upon their loved ones. Having a nursing caretaker can make you feel at ease, as you rest assured that your loved ones are monitored and safe with them.

There should be intensive care and constant monitoring for your loved ones as they are highly prone to bedsores and other skin related infections due to their unavoidable conditions. Ensure that you keep their skin healthy and sanitized daily. Make sure either you or your nurse at home follows strict personal hygiene for your elderly. Keep a check on their linens. Make sure to put a fresh one frequently. When you understand that your loved ones have limited independent mobility because of their conditions ensure that you or your nurse at home use effective methods to get the airflow to all the parts of their body. Start with smaller tasks like lifting the arm up for 10 seconds at a time, assisting if needed and working up to the full capacities of your loved one.

Repositioning them is another important factor that should not be neglected to avoid any sort of skin irritation or bedsores. Keep a check on their skin to ensure there is no indication of any early signs of bedsores. You or your nurse at home must make sure to see that there is no dampness or moisture making any direct contact with your loved one. So, make sure to dry them out properly after a bath as wet skin trapped against a bed will not dry and may increase the risks of skin irritation and sores. Also make sure you stay alert on the common parts where bedsores are likely to occur e.g., ankles, heels the hip area and the tailbone.

Make sure the place is reasonably well lit as per the need, the necessities are right at their bedside, and the place is always well ventilated, fresh, and dry. Reduce noise levels as far as possible. Take extra precautions during this pandemic. Always ensure their and your safety.

The trained nursing caretaker will take care the proper nutritional care. They will monitor and record the meals to ensure they are getting in proper nutritional value and having balanced meals. Make their environment lively, comfortable, and fresh. So, they feel peaceful in that environment around them. It is also extremely important to deal with the bedridden with utmost patience and care. Having a male ward boy nurse at home will help your elderly feel comfortable while taking them to use the washroom if they are able to make movements. A man’s physical strength is undoubtedly strong which will make them comfortable while relying on their strength for movements.

At last, in a day try to engage with your loved ones however busy your schedule may be, make sure you remove some time for them. Making them feel loved and wanted keeps the environment positive and helps them in all good aspects. Positivity is the leading key to a good environment where your loved one will feel safe, wanted, and comfortable.

The future of Home Health Care

Who does not like a service that provides care in this ageing world? Many health services focus only on care and timely services. Out of which home health care services are highly rated. Because many of the patients prefer to recover in their homes instead of a hospital bed. The atmosphere in one’s home is more preferred and is proven good for a patient’s speedy recovery. Patient care services give your loved ones a feel-good factor that stimulates a healthy mind resulting in aid in their recovery.

Hiring the future to your doorstep i.e., a professional from Elderly Care Services will help your loved ones enjoy a much better-quality life. As they will be in a familiar environment around their family and their home where they have lived for many years. This is extremely effective if your loved one is suffering from dementia or they are bedridden. For the elderly who are suffering from dementia, it is challenging to care for them which requires knowledge, patience and understanding. Families, generally, lack the experience and skills to understand the age-related conditions and fail to care for their beloved ones properly. Also, it is quite painful to view your beloved parents deteriorate mentally. Handling your work life and personal life can be tedious at times. Qualified nurse at home can provide a lot of support, as they understand their condition and have all skills and experience to deal with dementia patients rightly.

A sudden need of any urgency and you are relieved, your caregiver is there at that moment to ensure their needs are being met. Because they are available 24/7, making you and your loved ones at ease. Also, it is very natural for you to worry about your parents, as they grow older, you think about how they will get along from day to day. There are numerous advantages of having a trained, trusted, and responsible nurse at home. They can make the elderly recover from an ailment, injury, post-surgery hassle-free and easy. This caregiver will also help the elderly with physiotherapy sessions at home, making it the future of all health care services. An elderly who is bedridden or unable to move freely will find it difficult to use the washroom or maintain personal hygiene which is taken care of by a trained nursing caretaker. Having a trained caregiver will ensure any mishappenings like falls, and injury and ensure their safety. Home health care services are not only for the elderly. Anyone can benefit from it.

A medical survey has revealed that people who have a home nursing services facility at home live a longer and happier life. Receiving emotional, physical, medical, and specialized care in their comfort zones helps senior citizens live healthier and longer life. Because no comfort zone can replace one’s own home. Especially when your loved ones may be attached to a particular couch, favourite meal, a favourite chair, a favourite routine, or a favourite view from a specific corner of the house etc., home health care take their comfort to another level. The comfort of your loved ones is solely the responsibility of every professional home nursing services. Summarizing all the above points does prove that home health care services are indeed the future that is awaiting us!

Summer safety tips for seniors: How to help older adults stay healthy when it is hot outside?

Pleasant weather is all that is needed to make the most of the day. But the dramatic summers can be a bit annoying for your elderly. As, our ability to cope with the effects of hot temperature, high humidity and the hot sun goes down as we age. Especially if your elderly is bedridden, then all that sweat adds to skin problems and irritation. When you are not available for your elderly, to help them during this season because of the busy errands that you must run throughout the day, having a nurse at home will make you at ease. You then rest assured that your nursing caretaker is available to play your role.

During this sweaty and warm climate make sure to keep your elderly always hydrated when you are around and even when you are not. They may not even know how heat is affecting them. As, the ability to sweat decreases with age.

So, their loved ones or nursing caretakers need to not only remind them to drink water but bring it to them during heat waves.

Especially elderly who are suffering from dementia are highly prone to dehydration as their brain may keep them from being able to communicate their distress.
Fresh juices (like orange, watermelon, apple etc.), smoothies, water, milk, tea/ coffee once in a while, kaadha for immunity booster etc., can be given as per the need and requirement.
Avoid drinks to dehydration like alcohol or caffeinated drinks.
Ask your nurse at home to sponge, shower, or bathe them on a regular basis, especially during summers.
Make sure to keep their rooms always ventilated.
Schedule their walks either early in the morning or at the later parts of the day.
Comfort is the utmost thing one must keep in mind.
It starts from the atmosphere around you to the clothes that your elderly wear around throughout the day during their hottest times.
Make sure that you or your nursing caretaker ensures to change our elderly’s clothes regularly and let them wear light-coloured loose clothes.
Try to keep the house as cool as possible.
Close the windows and blinds during the day, then open the windows in the evening when the temperature cools down sufficiently.
AC is important for older adults with respiratory conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because heat and humidity can aggravate their breathing.
Keep all their medications up-to-date and safely stored.
Avoid any heat exposure during the daytime.
Summers reduces one’s appetite. Light meals are good, but it is important to get in those nutrients, especially since senior citizens are prone to a lack of nutrients and essential vitamins.
Make sure to give them plenty of fresh fruits and salads which will, in turn, keep their body’s water level intact.
Avoid any activities that may cause heat exhaustion among your elderly.

Last but not least ensure that you spend at least an hour with your elderly, removing that one hour from your daily busy errands is extremely crucial towards the mental health and happiness of your elderly. Also, hiring a professional from elderly care services can help you when you cannot manage time out of your daily chores for your elderly.