Stroke prevention is one of the areas of elder care that is in need of improvement. Strokes have the potential to play a large role in whether or not someone becomes permanently disabled, but many times, doctors are still not able to prevent a stroke in patients because of previously unknown health factors. One of these is called atrial fibrillation, and it impacts about 1.5 to 2 percent of people in the world. It’s the world’s most common heart rhythm disorder, but when it occurs simultaneously with a stroke, the end result has a higher likelihood of being death or disability.
Atrial fibrillation patients often can reduce their chances of a stroke by taking blood thinning drugs called anticoagulants. But because around a third of people with atrial fibrillation have no idea that they have the condition, it’s hard to put any further sort of preventative program into place. This is one of the many reasons why going to a doctor and having a regular physical is so important. When your doctor is able to check on you with regularity, detecting things like this becomes much easier.
One easy way to help those that do not know they have atrial fibrillation is by checking pacemakers. If your loved one has had a pacemaker installed, it is possible to monitor the pacemaker and detect any sort of rhythmic disruption. If the patient was not aware of their condition already, they can be placed on a preventative course of anticoagulants in order to help improve their outlook if they ever do have a stroke. It’s a small help, but it is a step forward in helping seniors live a better and healthier life.
When a loved one has had a stroke, caring for them needs to be a high priority, especially if they are more limited now than they were before. Helping a loved one get the support and attention that they need is a trying experience for everyone in the family, but having the assistance of a professional caregiver can take a ton of pressure off. If your mom or dad lives with you, and you are currently acting as a caregiver, the presence of a caregiver in the house will allow you to keep your job, care for your loved one when you are home, and not have a negative impact upon their lifestyle at all. Giving care is a full time job, and having a 9 to 5 job while you’re helping a loved one can be too much. This allows you to keep your job and still makes sure that they are being effectively cared for. And because the caregiver is a fully trained professional, you won’t ever have to worry about the quality of the care being given. It will be just as good or better than what you would be able to provide yourself. And all of this will happen while you keep earning money through your current employer. Providing loving care for a parent doesn’t need to mean that you are giving up your family’s source of sustenance.
Leave a Reply