Home Instead Senior Care Austin - Providing home care for elders and seniors. Call (512) 347-9207.

Heart disease refers to any condition that affects the normal functioning of the heart.
Since heart disease touches the lives of many seniors and their families, at Home Instead Senior Care we believe it’s important to spread awareness about the signs and symptoms of heart disease, so that serious complications or death are prevented with diagnosis and treatment. A woman in our network explains how her mother’s symptoms lead to the discovery of heart disease.

One day I received a terrifying phone call; before I even had the opportunity to say “hello”, the voice on the other line said “I think I might be having a hard attack.” The caller was my mother, who at the time was 72 years old with no previous history of heart trouble, as far as we were aware. While my first instinct was to rush to her side, living with states between us made that impossible, so instead I tried to get a grasp on what she was experiencing. Based on her disposition, I suspected she wasn’t actually suffering from a heart attack, but I knew it was important to be supportive and make a point to understand. Not surprisingly, the first symptom she mentioned was a severe ache in her chest, but she also complained of dizziness. I encouraged my mom to hang up with me and contact the office of her physician to determine the best way to proceed in order to deal with her symptoms. The doctor said that if she felt the symptoms were severe, she should go immediately to the emergency room at the local hospital; otherwise she could come in for an appointment at his office later that afternoon so he could assess what she was experiencing.

My mom felt that her symptoms were not severe enough to go to the hospital, but opted to take the doctor’s appointment with my encouragement. Speaking to her after she returned home to the doctor, I learned that heart disease was the suspected diagnosis. Her physician said that she did the right thing, even though she was only exhibiting some of the symptoms of heart disease; dizziness and chest pain, and not nausea, shortness of breathe, an elevated heart rate, loss of consciousness, or palpitations. He explained that elders who suffer from heart disease, can experience any mix of the above symptoms, which can also include heart attack or stroke. He also said that in the future, if she experiences symptoms of a heart attack which he explained, had severe chest pain or loss of consciousness, then emergency medical treatment should be sought.

After completing further tests to ascertain a more concrete diagnosis, the doctor prescribed a course of treatments which included management through medication and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. While my mom has had no further complications to date, I still can’t help but hold my breath when the phone rings; but I know now I can put my own reservations aside and offer my support where it’s needed.

Sources: http://heartdisease.about.com/od/howtoloweryourrisk/a/heartdiseaseRX.htm
http://heartdisease.about.com/od/coronaryarterydisease/a/heartsymptoms.htm
http://www.4woman.gov/faq/heart-disease.cfm

Home Instead Senior Care Austin - Providing home care for elders and seniors. Call (512) 347-9207.

WEAR RED DAY (1st Friday) of this month

This is the day when people are encouraged to wear red to show their support for heart disease awareness in women. The Red Dress is the national symbol and it helps alert women about their personal risk factors for heart disease. To learn more, visit goredforwomen.org.

A Home Instead CAREGiver can help clients transition home from the hospital if they’ve had a heart attack. Oftentimes their doctor limits what activities they can do around the house - a CAREGiver can help with laundry and other light housekeeping. They may also be weak, so it’s good to have someone around.

If clients haven’t had a heart attack CAREGivers can help prevent one by assisting with a walk around the block, transporting them to an exercise class or trying a new activity. A CAREGiver can also remind them to take their cholesterol, blood pressure or other vital medication, or plan and prepare nutritious, heart-healthy meals.

The Red Dress is a trademark of DHHS.

Sources: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute;
National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services

Home Instead Senior Care Austin - Providing home care for elders and seniors. Call (512) 347-9207.

Various eye tests allow eye doctors to not only identify when a senior has glaucoma, but also allows them to track the progress of the eye disease to prescribe the best treatment methods.

Measuring Intraocular Pressure

Glaucoma occurs when there is a build up of aqueous fluid in the eye, which creates excessive levels of intraocular pressure (IOP). A normal level is around 20 mmHg; any pressure above this can cause serious damage to the optic nerve, resulting in loss of peripheral vision and even blindness. A totometer allows eye doctors to track the IOP of a senior’s eye, by placing it right against the surface of the eyeball. Of course, numbing eye drops are used before the procedure begins. Not only can this be used to diagnose glaucoma, it can also be used to determine if treatment techniques, like eye drops to reduce pressure, are working effectively.

Eyesight and Vision Tests

Visual field testing is the main test used to monitor loss of eyesight and peripheral vision. The patient is asked to look into a machine, and press a button every time a blinking light is visible. By tracking what the patient was able to see, any eye doctor can learn where blind spots are occurring, or if their peripheral vision has been impacted.

Tracking Damage

Since the optic nerve can be damaged as a result of glaucoma, it’s important that professionals monitor how the disease is progressing and determine if treatment methods, like eye drops or surgeries, are working effectively. Various imaging techniques allow eye doctors to assess damage to the optic nerve, and an ultrasound biomicroscopy allows them to map the flow of aqueous fluid in the eye.

Source: http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/glaucoma.htm