High Cholesterol: Can Your Senior Do Anything at All about High Cholesterol?

High cholesterol levels can be frustrating for your senior to hear she has to manage.

The differences between “good” and “bad” cholesterol can also be confusing, which might make your senior feel like giving up on her battle to lower her cholesterol levels. But if she does have high cholesterol, it’s important that she does lower it so that she doesn’t increase her risk of heart attack or stroke.

Reducing Certain Problem Ingredients Helps

Dietary modifications are probably part of what your senior’s doctor recommends for her. What she really needs to pay attention to is reducing problematic ingredients, like trans fats, excessive sugar, and excessive salt. There may be other recommendations that her doctor makes that fit her specific situation, but it’s a good idea to follow those suggestions.

Exercise Can Offer Benefits

Regular exercise, even in small amounts at first, can help your elderly family member to manage her high cholesterol levels. She really does need to find something that she loves doing because that’s going to help her to keep going when exercise feels too difficult to do. Ultimately, the exercises that she does should help her to incorporate strength, cardio, balance, and stretching. Consistency is the key.

Avoid Smoking

Smoking is a huge health hazard. Most people know this, even if they’ve been smoking for decades. The fact of the matter is, though, that if your elderly family member does smoke, quitting can help her to get a better handle on all sorts of health issues. It can also help to prevent other serious health issues. This isn’t easy to do, so it’s a good idea to see how her doctor may be able to help your senior.

Take Medications as Prescribed

There are a variety of different medications that your senior’s doctor might recommend for her cholesterol issues, depending on her unique situation. If she does opt to take medication to manage her high cholesterol, it’s important that she takes her medication as prescribed. Some of these medications may require that she take them at a specific time or in a specific way.

Managing high cholesterol is a lot easier with help. Elder care providers can be there for your senior when you might not be able to be, like during the day or if you live farther away. Elder care assistance can help your senior to feel safer as she exercises and ensure that she’s eating healthy meals regularly.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring  Elder Care in La Canada, CA, please contact the caring staff at Home Care Help. Serving All of Los Angeles County. Call Us Today (888) 989-7388