Unique Heart Health Concerns of the Elderly

I believe this article about unique heart health concerns of the elderly may be helpful for those of you with elderly parent/s or even yourself, depending on how you define "elderly". ;-) I believe all seniors are unique and deserve special consideration for heart health because their hearts must be strong, to have continued pumping and beating for such a long time! Think about it.

As the elderly population grows faster than any other age group in the United States, so do their health concerns. They face many unique health and quality-of-life situations. Here is advice on turning problems into solutions.

Problem: You forget or stop your medications.This is a unique heart health concern.

Let's face it, it's tough to remember to take just a couple of pills every day--never mind the multiple drugs that many elderly must take daily. For example, you may be on a cholesterol-lowering drug, a drug to control your blood pressure, yet another one for your diabetes, and aspirin. And you're not alone: Statistics show that nearly half of patients over age 75 are on five or more drugs. (Gee, I'm taking five prescription drugs at age 60!)

How effective your medicines are depends on when and how consistently they are taken, and a major unique heart health concern of the elderly. If you're confused about when, in what order, and for how long you should take your medications, just ask your doctor. Someone in your physician's office can help write a detailed schedule of a day's routine that includes the following information:

Keeping a diary is a simple way to keep track of your schedule, another unique heart health concern; you can even share it with your doctor at your next office visit. Remember, by becoming educated about your medications, you are taking part in your own healthcare treatment. This is so important for your self-esteem among other things!

Quick story: Seventy year old Mrs. Smith was healthy all of her life when she suddenly fell ill from something she ate. The doctor's wanted to perform a surgery which would remove part of her intestine's, requiring her to wear a colostomy bag to collect her waste products (feces). She said absolutely not! The doctor's said she would die without it. She said, so be it-I'm going home. And she did. Well, that was five years ago and she is in almost perfect health. True story.

Suggestion: Never stray from your medication schedule or discontinue any type of drug therapy without first discussing it with your doctor.

Problem: Sometimes you feel cut off from everyone.

Another unique heart health concern of the elderly: relationships are crucial to heart health--especially for seniors. Because loneliness and lack of companionship and emotional support can contribute to older adults becoming vulnerable to heart disease, it is important to maintain contact with others.

Older individuals who don't have social ties with others may not take very good care of themselves; they are less likely to give up bad habits, such as drinking or smoking, and are less motivated to live healthy lifestyles.

Suggestion: Keep in contact with friends and loved ones, and make an effort to stay socially active.

Problem: You're afraid to ask questions about your treatment.

Many elderly people are too overwhelmed and intimidated to speak up when meeting with their doctor. Some believe that addressing a concern or asking about a specific procedure or medication may come across as questioning the doctor's advice or recommendations.

For instance, because doctors have been generally reluctant to treat an elderly heart-disease patient with surgery, your doctor may spend more time explaining non-surgical treatments to you. If you would like to at least have the option, ask your doctor to explain the pros and cons of surgical and non-surgical treatments.

While age does play a part in a patient's course of therapy, it is now known that elderly patients with heart disease who have no other serious risk factors (such as prior heart surgery or serious stroke) should be able to withstand surgery as well as their younger counterparts. However, your doctor knows your medical history, so if he or she decides against surgery, there are likely valid reasons. Ask about them.

Suggestion: Request a consultation with your doctor to evaluate all available treatment options and to review all of your risk factors. Write a short list of your questions or concerns and bring it to your doctor's appointment.

Unique heart health concern: Problem: You're not sure if, how, or when to exercise.

At first glance, the numbers look like they're stacked against people over 50. Muscle strength declines by 15% per decade after age 50, and 30% per decade after age 70. But here's the flip side: Resistance training, also known as lifting weights or stretching thick elastic bands, can result in 25% to 100% gains in strength for older adults.

Plus, regular exercise can do many things for older people, including prevent or delay some diseases (heart disease and diabetes, for example) and make them feel better physically and emotionally.

More unique heart health concerns of the elderlt: If thinking about exercise makes you nervous or anxious about injuring yourself, try looking at it from a different perspective. An exercise routine does not necessarily mean jogging around the park or running up and down stairs. Try these:

Walking: one of the best and most accessible types of exercise. You can walk alone or with friends; outdoors in a park or indoors on a treadmill at home or in the local mall.

Swimming or simply treading water : lessens the stress on your joints; it may be just what you need to alleviate pain from arthritis while strengthening the muscles and joints (your local community center likely has affordable facilities).

Yoga or tai chi: both are great ways to relieve stress while stretching your muscles and gaining flexibility.

Suggestion: Always stay physically active, but adjust your routine according to your health circumstances. Always check with your doctor before beginning any type of exercise routine.

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