Atrial fibrillation (AFib) occurs when a person’s heart has an irregular and extremely rapid rhythm. It usually occurs sporadically, and during that time, the heart’s upper chambers will beat erratically and out of sync with the lower heart chambers. Having AFib can increase the risk of heart failure, stroke, and other heart-related complications.
Symptoms of AFib
Some people never feel the symptoms so the first time they learn that they have it is when they attend a regular doctor visit and the doctor listens to their heart and hears it. It’s one of the many reasons that routine checkups are especially important for your senior, even if he’s feeling like a million bucks.
For others, the symptoms of AFib come and go, making it easy to dismiss them or blame them on something else like something they ate not agreeing with them, having too much caffeine, or being exhausted. That’s because all of those behaviors can increase the occurrence of AFib symptoms.
Symptoms your senior may experience if he has AFib:
- Shortness of breath
- Less ability to exercise without becoming completely out of breath and exhausted
- Consistent fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
- Chest pain
- Feelings of fluttering, pounding heartbeat, also known as palpitations
- Lightheadedness and dizziness
If your loved one has these symptoms, you should plan a visit with his doctor to discover the cause and work toward helping him monitor and manage it. His doctor may put him under the care of a cardiologist if it is determined he has AFib.
Home Care Assistance Can Help Manage AFib at Home
Your loved one’s doctor will most likely recommend some lifestyle changes for him to help him manage his AFib. He may also recommend medication. Making healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart failure or stroke. If your loved one needs help starting or staying on course with new lifestyle changes, a home care assistance team who assists him in his home could be a great resource to help him succeed with these changes. They can work directly with you and his doctor to help him stay on the path to better health.
Home Care Assistance Providers Can Help Implement Lifestyle Changes
Based on doctor’s orders, your loved one may be asked to consider making some changes in how he lives. Here are some common (and fairly simple) areas he can make changes in so that he reduces his risk of complications from AFib.
- Review his diet to make sure that it is low in saturated fat and salt. A home care assistance provider can assist by helping your loved one prepare and enjoy meals that meet these criteria.
- Get regular exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. If your loved one is able, his doctor may recommend he work on increasing the amount of exercise he gets each day. A home care assistance team can make sure he can travel to where he wants to exercise.
- Reduce stress. If your loved one is stressed about taking care of his home or completing necessary chores, a home care assistance team can help him reduce that stress by stepping in where needed to complete overwhelming tasks, thus reducing his stress.
Taking steps for a healthier lifestyle will help your loved one manage his AFib.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Assistance in Arlington, VA, please contact the caring staff at Access Home Care Inc today! Call (703) 765-9350
Access Home Care provider in Arlington, Alexandria, Leesburg, Reston, Herndon, Manassas, Ashburn, Falls Church, McLean, Lorton, Springfield, Woodbridge, Fairfax, Virginia and the surrounding communities.
“My desire to enter into nursing started when one of my older sisters died of kidney disease due to lack of care. At age 15, I decided to enter into nursing so that I could provide quality care to patients.Upon arrival in United States at 21 years of age, I enrolled in T.C Willliams School of Practical Nursing while working as a nursing assistant at a nursing home. I also worked as a part-time home health aide to take of the elderly. After completion of my practical nurse education, I worked in geriatric psychiatry unit at Dominion Hospital and Arlington Correctional facility mental health unit.
I completed Marymount University in 2001 and entered into Home Care as a field case manager.
I held that position for 2 years and as an Administrator, and for another 2 years until Access Home Care was found in 2004."
Today, Access Home Care has over 300 employees and 286 clients.
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