Archive for the ‘Heart Attack’ Category

Caring for Someone Recovering From A Heart Attack? Check Out These Stress Relievers

Posted on: February 27th, 2012 by aagingbetter

Family caregiving can be very rewarding, but it can also come with a huge amount of stress and changes to family dynamics.  Because of this, it’s important to take measures to care for yourself as well.   As an in-home care agency, AAging Better recommends the following stress relievers for both its own caregivers, as well as those “caregivers” taking care of family members who’ve had a heart attack :

  • Keep a positive attitude and accept that there are some events beyond your control.
  • Be assertive but never aggressive.  Assert your feelings, opinions or beliefs in a positive way rather than letting a particular situation make you angry, defensive or passive–aggressive.  Learning to articulate your hurt feelings in an objective and dispassionate way takes the “finger pointing” out of the equation and simply lets the person you’re caring for know how and what you’re feeling.  Most human beings get defensive when they think someone is judging against them.  When that happens, good communication tends to suffer.
  • Learn and practice relaxation techniques; try meditation, yoga or tai-chi for stress management.
  • Exercise regularly.  A body can fight stress better when it is fit.
  • Eat healthy, well-balanced meals that include a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables–the fresher, the better.
  • Learn to manage time more effectively.
  • Set limits appropriately and say no to requests that would create excessive stress.
  • Make time for hobbies and interests.
  • Get enough rest and sleep. A body needs time to recover from stressful events.
  • Don’t rely on alcohol, smoking, drugs or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.
  • Seek out social support.  Spend time with friends or loved ones.
  • If a family member, seek out respite care from a professional home care agency such as AAging Better In-Home Care to give you a break away from the stress of caring for your loved one.

Providing in-home care services throughout the five counties of northern Idaho, AAging Better In-Home Care custom tailors a specific plan of care for each of its clients, regardless of whether they’re recovering from a heart attack, surgery or just simply can’t take care of the housecleaning chores any longer because of the frailty of old age.  If you or someone you know needs that little extra help with the activities of daily living or just needs some house cleaning done on a regular basis, AAging Better can help.  Contact us today at 866-464-2344 (toll free) or if in the Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls or Hayden areas, call (208) 777-0308, or if in the Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry or Priest River areas, call (208) 263-7889,  and if in the Pinehurst, Kellogg or Wallace areas, call (208) 784-1505 to find out more.

 

Caregiving Stress Can Lead to Company Loss

Posted on: April 17th, 2011 by aagingbetter

Family caregivers who also work full-time jobs are constantly operating in emergency mode, something for which their minds and bodies ultimately pay a price.  Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems, as chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in the body.  It can:

  • Raise blood pressure
  • Suppress the immune system
  • Increase the risk of heart attack and stroke
  • Speed up the aging process
  • And long-term, stress can even rewire the brain, leaving employees more vulnerable to anxiety and depression

The result of long-term exposure to stress will be more absences from work and increased company healthcare benefit utilization.  If you notice symptoms of stress in an employee such as inability to concentrate, changing work habits, disorganization, bad moods and unrealistic judgments, steps can be taken to assist through a caregiving referral or respite care benefits program.

Consider the addition of eldercare services to your referral database or benefits package.  Since 1996, it has been reported that every $1 spent on eldercare programs gets a return of $3 – $5 in productivity, retention and reduced absenteeism.

A strong support network is always going to be the greatest protection against stress.  Through an eldercare program such as AAging Better In-Home Care provides, we can help alleviate some of the responsibilities and pressures of family caregiving.

Call AAging Better In-Home Care today to learn about our caregiving services and educational materials as a value-added benefit for your employees.  Contact us today at (208) 777-0308 in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls,  (208) 263-7889 in Sandpoint or (208) 784-1505 in Kellogg or Wallace.

 

Caring for Someone Recovering From a Heart Attack? Check Out These Stress Relievers.

Posted on: February 21st, 2011 by aagingbetter

Family caregiving can be very rewarding, but it can also come with a huge amount of stress and changes to family dynamics. Because of this, it is important to take strides to care for yourself as well. AAging Better In-Home Care in northern Idaho recommends the following stress relievers for caregivers:

  • Keep a positive attitude and accept that there are some events beyond your control.
  • Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert feelings, opinions or beliefs in a positive way instead of becoming angry, defensive or passive.
  • Learn and practice relaxation techniques; try meditation, yoga or tai-chi for stress management.
  • Exercise regularly. A body can fight stress better when it is fit.
  • Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
  • Learn to manage time more effectively.
  • Set limits appropriately and say no to requests that would create excessive stress.
  • Make time for hobbies and interests.
  • Get enough rest and sleep. A body needs time to recover from stressful events.
  • Don’t rely on alcohol, drugs or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.
  • Seek out social support. Spend time with loved ones.
  • Seek out respite care from a professional home care agency such as AAging Better In-Home Care to supplement family caregiving.

Providing in-home care services in Coeur d’Alene and the rest of northern Idaho, AAging Better In-Home Care custom tailors a specific plan of care for each of our clients. Whether recovering from surgery or needing a little extra help with daily activities, AAging Better can help. Contact us today at 866.464.2344 to find out more.

After Heart Surgery, Emotions Can Run High – Learn What to Expect

Posted on: February 14th, 2011 by aagingbetter

In this month of love, hearts are on our minds at AAging Better In-Home Care. So we thought it would be appropriate to share some information on the little-discussed emotional aftereffects of a heart attack.

If you are caring for someone who is recovering from a heart attack, typically that person is forced into making lifestyle changes that can be frustrating not only for him or her, but for the caregiver as well. Additionally, he or she may not be able to do the same activities as before the heart attack. Here are a few other things to be aware of:

  • Expect your loved one to have actively changing emotions and possible fears of death.
  • Allow time to adjust and be sure to express how both you and your loved one feel.
  • Support your loved one in making necessary lifestyle changes to prevent a reoccurrence or complication.
  • Make future plans and help your loved one start “living” again.
  • Accept that your roles may be temporarily reversed.
  • Take the time to simply listen.
  • When speaking, try to use I statements rather than you statements, such as “I feel frustrated” rather than “You make me feel frustrated.”

Keep in mind that the rehabilitation process enables many people to do much more than they ever expected, and eventually the up and down emotions of recovery should settle down.

AAging Better In-Home Care knows how to properly care for someone recovering from heart surgery or a heart attack. Our caregivers service Coeur d’Alene and the rest of northern Idaho and can prepare heart-healthy meals, do light housekeeping and assist with activities and transportation. Our care team will work seamlessly with your physicians to provide the best coordinated, specialized care. Contact us today for a free in-home assessment to find out how we can assist.

 
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