It’s terrifying to know that your elderly family member has had a heart attack. But it can be even scarier to worry about what happens next. Setting her up for the best possible recovery often means taking stock of what she needs and putting a solid plan together for her to heal. Here are just a few ideas you can use to help your elderly family member during this time.
She Might Need More Help than She Expects
Depending on the severity of your elderly family member’s heart attack, she might need more help than she expects she will when she comes home. The simplest daily activities, like getting out of bed, can feel like a lot for her. 24-hour home care providers can be there for your elderly family member around the clock, no matter what she needs. It isn’t always easy to lean on help, and your senior might have some big feelings around having help.
Talk to Her Doctor about Activity Levels
Your senior might be under doctor’s orders to take it easy for a while, too. Lifting even lightweight items might be off the table, for instance. But her doctors might want her to become a little more active gradually. Activities like walking safely around the house can help your elderly family member to build her stamina back up.
Encourage Your Senior to Pace Herself
It’s vital that your elderly family member learns how to pace herself so she doesn’t overdo it. Having help from home care providers can make this a lot easier. When your senior takes her time with her normal daily activities, it’s a lot easier for her to avoid fatigue which can make recovery more difficult.
Big Feelings Are Common After a Heart Attack
There are physical issues to deal with as your elderly family member recovers from a heart attack, but there are also typically some big feelings, too. Your elderly family member may be angry, depressed, or even fearful about what this means for her future. If she ignores those feelings and hopes that they’ll go away, she may find herself very disappointed and dealing with much bigger feelings than she expects.
24-hour Home Care Can Help Your Senior Feel Safer
Having help from 24-hour home care providers can do a lot to help your senior to work through the feelings she’s experiencing. These caregivers are there for her at all hours of the day without judgment. That helps to ensure that your elderly family member feels safe knowing that she isn’t on her own when she’s feeling vulnerable. With their help, she can tackle whatever she needs to do in order to recover more quickly from her heart attack.
Work with your elderly family member’s doctors to keep up with how her care plan needs to change. Everyone recovers from a heart attack at a different rate. Your elderly family member doesn’t have to worry about meeting specific goals at certain times. It’s far more important that she allows her body to heal.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HIRING 24-HOUR HOME CARE IN SARATOGA, CA, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT HOME HELPERS TODAY (408) 317-4969.
