March 14, 2018
Suffering a heart attack is a frightening experience that goes well beyond the effect that it has on the sufferer’s body. While a senior who has suffered a heart attack will have physical symptoms following the attack and will need to focus on rehabilitating and recovering to reduce the risk that they will suffer a subsequent attack, there are also emotional impacts. Helping your parent to cope with these emotions can help them to get through their recovery more effectively and move forward in their life.
Some of the emotions that your parent might experience after having a heart attack include:
-Fear at the thought of having another heart attack or other serious health issue
-Sadness at the thought of their mortality and the realization that they could have experienced far worse consequences
-Worry about participating in any activities that might put them at risk
-Hopelessness when thinking about how much they have changed since they were younger and all that they can no longer do
-Depression
-Anxiety
-Loneliness resulting from a less active and engaged lifestyle during recovery
Handling Senior Emotions…
If your parent has had a heart attack, helping them to manage their emotions and keeping their mental and emotional health at a high level during their recovery should be a central element of your care plans. Starting home care for them can be a valuable step in this direction. This care provider can provide companionship and encouragement that will help your parent continue to see the value and meaning in their daily lives and work through their emotions effectively.
If your aging parent has developed needs and challenges that you are unable to fulfill, a changing schedule has made it so that you are no longer able to give you a parent to the level of care that you previously could, your own limitations make it difficult to fulfill your care needs, or you simply believe that your parent would benefit from more diversified support and assistance, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting home care for them.
In-Home Service…
An in-home senior care services provider can be with your parent when it is right for them according to their needs as well as the care that you already give them. This enables them to give your parents a highly personalized set of services designed to specifically address their individual needs in the ways that are right for them. this care can include transportation, meal preparation, assistance with personal care needs, mobility support, medication reminders to help them to remain compliant, help with running errands, and more.
Source:
Heart.org
