High blood pressure is controllable, but it might mean that your elderly family member has to make some changes to her lifestyle.

May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month, and there might be some details about blood pressure that can help you both to adjust her care plan.

Double Check How Much Salt Is Okay for Her

Most people know that too much salt is bad for them, and for their blood pressure. But too little salt or worse, no salt at all, is not good either. The human body needs at least a little bit of salt, part of the minerals known collectively as electrolytes. So, it’s a good idea for your senior to talk to her doctor about exactly how much salt is right for her so she has a target to hit.

Make Sure She Knows How to Use Her Home Blood Pressure Monitor

If your elderly family member has a home blood pressure monitor, it’s important that she’s using it properly. She should have her feet flat on the floor and she should rest quietly while the test is running. It’s also important to note that blood pressure readings can be different in each arm. If she’s trying to get an accurate picture of what’s happening with her blood pressure levels, she may want to test in both arms and record both readings.

Talk to Her Doctor about the Right Exercise Program for Her

The right exercise program for your senior is one that feels good, that she enjoys, and that helps to lower her blood pressure. Some exercises, like weightlifting, can cause blood pressure levels to rise. Your senior’s doctor can help her to determine the best exercise program for her, along with how much exercise she should be doing.

Put Together a Plan that Keeps Working for Your Senior

The big key to keeping a handle on your senior’s blood pressure levels is to have a plan that consistently adjusts to continue meeting her needs. Your senior’s doctor can help you both to do this. Making these small adjustments as needed can help your elderly family member to avoid having to make big changes suddenly.

Something else that can help quite a bit can be having elder care providers available for assistance. Whether your elderly family member needs more help with cooking, with other household tasks, or with remembering to take her blood pressure readings regularly, elder care providers can make a huge difference.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care in Piedmont, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203

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Evan Loevner

CEO at Aviva In-Home Care

As a former hospital administrator, I launched Aviva with the goal of having a more focused, direct impact on the delivery of care than I could ever accomplish within a hospital setting. For me, the joy of running an organization like Aviva In-Home Care is having the ability to positively improve the lives of individuals needing customized care. As a passionate Bay Area resident, I know that many local seniors can benefit from new approaches to in-home care, that will bring them more connection to the community, and provide families with a greater sense of comfort that their loved one is indeed matched with an ideal caregiver.

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