A companion care worker can certainly help seniors deal with stress. If your senior is suffering from stress related symptoms including headaches, pounding heart rate, chest pain, chronic muscle aches, sleeping problems, insomnia, upset stomach, constipation, weight loss or weight gain, it is likely that they are struggling with stress. In seniors, stress can certainly be caused due to many reasons. The typical reasons are financial losses, and loss of family and friends. Often, a companion could actually help alleviate a senior’s anxieties. A quality home care agency, such as Retire At Home in Edmonton, that can provide a caregiver who can spend more time with a senior who is under stress.

Handling everyday activities sometimes gets stressful. The health of seniors can certainly be significantly impacted and harmed when under stress. Home care solutions provides some great options in senior care to help in reducing the impact of stress.

When your senior parents are no longer able to handle growing older, it is time to hire a home care professional. These professionals are certified and qualified to help seniors with their day to day life. They help choose the right kind of foods and physical activity that helps relieve stress.

When there’s no one in the home who has enough time to walk seniors, a senior care professional provides the companionship needed to perform specific exercise to keep the body working well. The proper kind of exercises help increase blood circulation in the body and helps brain function as well. There are also certain types of meditation therapies that really help in stress relief. At an old age, it’s a good idea to not address stress related problems with medication. If the problem can be resolved with a new diet, an exercise regimen and meditation, it is indeed a better option. Many foods are full of nutritional value and low in calories. The professional care taker will ensure all foods selected for the diet won’t harm the health of the senior. If stress isn’t handled early, it can cause anger and resentment. This could possibly also lead to a dependency on alcohol and drugs.

A reputable home health care provider can provide a seasoned caregiver for a senior living at home. The caregivers help stressed seniors through getting close, while making healthy conversations and letting the cause of the stress surface. If some event or someone is causing the stress, then the problem is easily resolved with communications. Having someone to talk to really matters a great deal sometimes, and if this can improve mental well being, then it is good to hire elderly caregivers. These professionals are a source of good company. They make sure all meals are taken on time and that the senior has the ability to cope with the day to day activities in an easy manner.

Overall, everyone who gets old needs assistance, and when there aren’t any young ones living at home, a senior care giver fills in the gap and takes care of the mental and physical well being of the senior.

For Canadians who are living with heart disease today, effective management of the condition is a joint endeavour between patient, healthcare provider, and family caregivers. Most people with heart disease prefer to remain in the comfort of their own home rather than move to a nursing home or other care community. Families want to honor the senior’s choice – but they worry about whether their loved one is secure living on their own.

And caregivers should also be mindful of their own health condition. Caregiving can be stressful and physically challenging. A study from Columbia University showed that family caregivers may themselves be at higher risk for heart disease. So it’s crucial to take advantage of available support services, including the help of in-home care professionals.

In-home personal care helps answer some of the top questions of family care providers:

Q: “Is Mom remembering her medications?”

Most heart patients take prescription drugs. For these medicines to be effective, they must be taken as prescribed. But complete compliance might not always be possible. A professional in-home health professional can help your loved one manage medications, pick up prescriptions at the pharmacy, and be alert for any adverse side effects or interactions.

Q: “Is Dad following the diet his cardiologist recommends?”

Your loved one’s doctor will almost certainly prescribe a special diet personalized for your loved one’s requirement. Working with instructions from the physician, a professional home care agency can help plan a cardiovascular targetted diet that meets low-sodium, low-cholesterol and other dietary requirements.

Q: “What about exercise? Is it safe for heart patients? How can I encourage my loved one to be more active?”

The old days when bed rest was the rule, are over. We now know that inactivity is bad for our cardiovascular system. On the other hand, overexertion can be equally dangerous for those who have experienced a heart attack or chronic heart disease. That’s why you might hear that the physician has “prescribed” a specific exercise routine that is right for your loved one’s specific needs. The in-home caregiver can help with exercises and provide watchful, non-intrusive supervision to give your loved one greater confidence.

Q: “Can my folks keep up with home maintenance and personal care?”

Low energy, shortness of breath, and fatigue can make household tasks and personal care difficult. The doctor may recommend against more physically demanding errands like raking or lifting. In-home caregivers can provide house cleaning services, home laundry service, and other home support tasks. They also help with personal care such as bathing, dressing, and grooming. Feeling well-groomed, in clean surroundings, provides a real mood boost, and often reduces stress for patient and family caregivers alike.

Q: “Dad is experiencing depression. I wish I could spend more time with him! Should he be alone?”

It’s unwise to dismiss the connection between heart disease and depression. Heart patients may be caught in a cycle: depression decreases motivation to comply with treatment…which leads to a decline in health…which in turn increases depression. The in-home caregiver can help with medications or other treatments. And the caregiver also provides companionship and the encouragement to be more active and socially connected. Does your loved one like board games? Sports programs? Music? Walking the family pet? The caregiver can encourage participation in challenging activities that boosts enjoyment.

Q: “How can I balance my work and family responsibilities, while making sure Mom gets to healthcare appointments? My work hours are the same as the cardiologist’s!”

When a loved one is recovering from a heart attack or dealing with chronic heart disease, it sometimes seems as if medical appointments fill every day of the calendar! The caregiver can help keep track of your loved one’s schedule and provide transportation to the doctor’s office, to cardiac rehabilitation sessions, even to smoking cessation classes.

In-home senior health care services can be provided for several hours a week, up to full-time, depending on your loved one’s needs and your schedule. The goal is to allow the patient the greatest independence possible without compromising the most effective heart wellness routine.

Originally posted on our newsletter here.