Caring For Someone with Heart Disease
Caregiving might be very stressful especially if it’s been done by only a selected individual at home. For a loved one who suffers from heart disease, there are so many issues about them that you must be attentive to; physical health, emotional support, and medication. Home care services of a heart disease patient can be very tiring; in fact, can set anxiety for the caregiver. Before your loved ones can stay in better health, your support and encouragement will really make the difference. Caring for your loved ones with heart disease at home involves some steps which will make the two parties to be successful. Below are the highlighted steps you need to follow.
Cook healthy diet
The first natural help you can do for your loved ones is cooking of a healthy diet. Learning to cook a special food for a patient with heart disease can be boring and the food tasteless can be to you, but remember, you are doing it for your loved ones. Google up information about recipes that is very good for healing up of heart diseases. When cooking for a sufferer, it should contain low sodium, fat, and sugar, rich in whole grain, vegetables, and fruits.
Encourage exercise
Being a caregiver for heart disease patients especially home care allows you to monitor their state of health. Do not be like a taskmaster who assigns and sits only to supervise. It’s also good for your health if you join. You are encouraging him more to participate especially if he’s not used to aerobic exercise before now. While caring for them at home, you can play a DVD video of an exercise or a workout. In all case, you are encouraging him to get off the bed/couch and be active.
Ease emotion
Giving a home care for your heart disease loved ones may make you be more sympathetic. So many time the sufferer might set into depression. You must know how to help him to keep a positive spirit/outlook on life. What really causes anxiety to most sufferers is their inability to do what they once can do very well. Be open with them and encourage them to share their feelings with you. If need be, you can join groups of other caregiver networks so as to get “tips on how to’s”.
Overcome unhealthy habits
My friend’s grandfather smokes a lot before he was diagnosed with a heart disease. My friend of course was picked as the caregiver to provide home care to his grandfather. However, the main problem started when his grandpa wanted to go back to his habit of smoking. Seriously, it’s possible they have a craving for what has become part of them before, they are humans too. You must be firm and loving at the same time before you can succeed in taking unhealthy habit away from sufferers.
Manage medical issues
One of the main responsibilities of home care caregivers is his alertness to minor details, keen observation, and accurate timing. You must be able to look out for signs of weakness, emotional stress, and symptoms as relayed by the health care professional. Set up an appointment with the doctor promptly and arrange for transportation to transport both of you to the hospitals.
A calendar is a very useful tool for a caregiver who renders his service at home. It helps to monitor medication time each day as directed by the health care provider. A pill organizer will be a valuable tool for home care services. It helps to organize and arranges patient pills as instructed by a physician so as to know what to take and at what time.
Care for yourself
While you put an eye on your loved ones who are is sick, it is best to and very vital to keep an eye on your own needs too. If its caregiving is becoming too demanding on your health and time, ask for the help of other families and friends. Look good and be healthy.