The Importance of Heart Health in Seniors

February is recognized as American Heart Month. The perfect time to better understand how aging impacts your heart health and how you can improve it.

What is the Impact of Aging on the Heart?

The natural process of aging leads to many changes in your body. One prevalent area is your heart and heart health. As we age, it becomes crucial to focus on maintaining heart health for several reasons:

Decline in cardiovascular function. As you age, your heart may start to lose efficiency. This can lead to thickening of the heart’s walls, which impacts blood circulation and cardiovascular function.

Reduced recovery capabilities. It gets more difficult to recover from harsh cardiovascular events such as strokes or heart attacks. Maintaining a healthy heart can help mitigate the risk of those incidents occurring and increase the odds of recovery.

Increased risk of heart disease. Age is a large risk factor for heart disease. The older you get, the more likely you are to be affected.

Will I Get Heart Disease?

While age is a large risk factor, there is no telltale sign that you will or won’t develop heart disease. Several risk factors will increase your odds of being affected, though.

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Family history
• Smoking
• Being overweight
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Unhealthy diet

How Can Seniors Improve Their Heart Health?

If you are concerned about those risk factors, consider making small lifestyle changes to help reduce your risk. See below for five ways you can quickly improve your heart health.

Get Active: Exercise is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy heart and improve your overall health. Before starting a new exercise routine, check with your doctor to ensure it is a good fit for you. The best routines for seniors include both physical activity and stretching. Consider the following activities: brisk walking, cycling, Zumba, water aerobics, and yoga.

Stop Smoking: This is a huge step toward helping both your heart and lung health. If you’re struggling to quit, there are plenty of resources available to you, including Quitline NC.

Maintain a Healthy Weight: The best way to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight is to have the right nutrition plan in place.

Know Your Numbers: Do you readily know your cholesterol and blood pressure? Those two are huge factors for heart health, so knowing if they are too high or too low is very important. Schedule regular appointments with your doctor to ensure they are at healthy levels.

Eat the Right Foods: Foods that have lots of Omega-3 are typically full of “good” fatty acids that help the heart. Alternatively, you could take fish oil capsules to get a good amount.

Local Resources

Several health professionals conduct heart screenings in and around Greensboro. Consider scheduling an appointment if you are concerned about your heart health.

Cone Health -They offer a Heart & Vascular Prevention Program. Through this program, patients undergo advanced testing to receive tailored health assessments.

Greensboro Radiology – They’re highly skilled in diagnosing many different forms of heart disease and various heart conditions. They perform heart disease screening, angiograms, stress testing, electrocardiograms (EKGs), echocardiograms, and vascular ultrasounds using modern technology.

How Does Griswold Help?

If you or someone you care about is facing heart health challenges in Greensboro or the nearby areas, Griswold is here to lend a hand. While we don’t provide medical services, our in-home care offerings include personal care, homemaking, and companionship from our skilled Caregivers. We’re dedicated to helping you feel secure and cared for. Whether you need a few hours of respite care each week or round-the-clock assistance, we’ve got you covered. Reach out to us today at 336.750.6832 to discuss how we can create a personalized care plan for you. Often, we can have a caregiver at your home within 24 hours.