What Lifestyle Changes Can Your Parent Make to Reduce Their Risk of Stroke?

Caregiver in Sauk Centre MN: What Lifestyle Changes Can Your Parent Make to Reduce Their Risk of Stroke?

As a family caregiver your primary goal is to help your aging parent stay as healthy as possible. This includes helping them to maintain their basic daily health as well as taking appropriate steps to help them reduce the risk that they will suffer serious health consequences and conditions as they age in place. One such risk is stroke. Throughout the United States each year more than 795,000 people suffer a stroke, and approximately 140,000 die from the incident. Those who survive may face long-lasting complications, including paralysis and brain damage. Encouraging your parent to adjust their lifestyle to reduce their risk can protect their health and keep them living the lifestyle that they desire and deserve as they age in place.

Some lifestyle changes that your parent can make with your help and the help of a home care provider include:

• Focus on eating a healthy diet with a balance of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Ensure that they are getting the full range of nutrients that they need and avoiding too much saturated fat, trans fat, refined sugar, and sodium.
• Get them active at least five days each week, if not every day. An average of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week is the minimum goal.
• If your parent smokes or uses tobacco in any form, encourage them to quit. Every day that they do not use tobacco helps to control their risk.
• Make sure that your parent understands what is an acceptable amount of alcohol for them as an individual and ensure that they do not exceed this amount.
• Help them to identify sources of stress in their life and find ways to reduce and properly manage this stress. The companionship and increased social interaction provided by a home care provider can be very valuable in this area.

Being a family caregiver for an elderly adult can be extremely challenging, particularly if you are a member of the sandwich generation caring for both your aging parent and your children, or if you live at a distance from your parent and you are not able to be with them as often as you would like. Fortunately, if you are having difficulty managing your parent’s needs and challenges, or simply feel that they would benefit from additional care and support, home care can help. An in-home care provider can give your parent a personalized approach to care that ensures that their needs, limitations, and challenges are met in a way that is right for them, while also supporting their pursuit of a lifestyle that is active, engaged, and fulfilling. This can ease your stress and give you peace of mind, allowing you to focus your energy and attention in the most effective ways while also managing the other aspects of your life in the bets way possible.

http://www.stroke.org/sites/default/files/resources/DiabetesBrochure.pdf
http://www.stroke.org/understand-stroke/preventing-stroke/lifestyle-risk-factors

If you or an aging loved-one are considering caregivers in Sauk Centre, MN, please contact the caring staff at Alternative Senior Care today. Providing Home Care in Central Minnesota and Surrounding Communities. Call us Today (320) 352-3350.