Heart health is universally important. According to a 2016 study from the American Heart Association, an estimated 85.6 million American adults have one or more kinds of cardiovascular disease (CVD).1 Of that number, nearly half are individuals who are sixty years old or older.
With personalized attention and knowledge of your unique circumstances, an at-home cardiac care nurse can help you do what’s best for your heart—in the way that fits your lifestyle. But what is at-home cardiac care, and what are the benefits? Let’s dive in.
What is At-Home Cardiac Care?
At-home care services allow patients to work with medical professionals and establish a care plan that fits their particular needs and desires from the comfort of their homes. Typically, you’ll work with a nurse specializing in both at-home care (care that is more limited than that of a hospital) and heart health.
Along with the convenience and comfort of not traveling, there are many benefits to partnering with at-home cardiac care professionals.
5 Awareness and Education Benefits
Having regular contact with a professional means staying in the know. Not only will the medical professional you work with gain an intimate knowledge of you and your situation, but they will also have a rich body of resources to share with you.
They may offer suggestions on support groups or nearby programs for people also trying to improve their heart health. Or they may serve as a heart health Wikipedia, fielding questions from you and your family.
At-home health care can help you stay in the know about your body and the resources around you in the following ways:
- Resources and groups – Your at-home nurse or aide will be aware of resources that could make life easier for you. For instance, there may be a local support group of people going through a similar time or financial help for your situation. Your at-home cardiac care professional acts as a guide for acclimating you to relevant resources.
- Guidance with exercises – Movement and exercise are important for heart health. Depending on your condition, some exercises will be better for you than others. Your at-home care professional will be able to teach you exercises and guide you through them. Together, you can plan a heart-healthy exercise routine.
- Strategies for surgical recovery – If you’re getting back from surgery, at-home health care professionals can help you figure out the dos and don’ts of recovery and carry out post surgery home care. They can also help you navigate your space and assist you with daily tasks until you’re well enough to do so yourself. This is a crucial step when implementing home health care for heart failure patients.
- Stress management – Stress puts strain on the heart.2 By learning tools and methods for dealing with stress, you allow your heart to recover more holistically.
5 Personalized and Comprehensive Care Benefits
It’s easy to underestimate the importance of personalized care. With at-home cardiac care, you will have a professional who knows everything about your situation.
Along with medical data, they’ll learn to gain an understanding of your likes and dislikes, as well as what motivates and interests you. An at-home nurse’s thorough and personalized care makes it easier to make a plan and follow through.
Here are the top 5 comprehensive care benefits:
- Up-to-date information on your health – Identifying symptoms early can make a big difference when it comes to preventing future heart health problems. An at-home care professional provides routine check-ups and keeps up-to-date records of patients that are crucial to a successful recovery and care plan.
- Stronger network of care – If you have other specialists, an at-home aide or nurse will be able to communicate with them to build the complete picture of your current health.
- Nearby resource for questions – No more forgetting to ask your doctor a question and to have to wait until next time. With at-home care, there’s always an opportunity to learn.
- Help that knows what you’re going through – By looking at your health history and considering your personal needs, a home health care provider can watch you closely and produce the most up-to-date picture of your health and how to address it.
- Trust and companionship – The one-on-one dynamic makes it easier to ask questions and learn from your health provider when they are serving you from the comfort of your home. Not only does this arrangement make for less stress and easier interactions, but it also provides the conditions for a meaningful bond.
4 Maintenance and Lifestyle Benefits
From diet to exercise, an at-home cardiac care professional can help you design and keep to the regimen that’s right for you.
If you’ve had surgery recently, an at-home nurse or aid can help you stay on track with your recovery by helping with the following:
- Schedules and reminders – As our bodies age, we often need to spend more time on our health. An at-home healthcare professional can assist with your schedule by giving you reminders about medication and appointments, putting you back in control of your day.
- Nutrition and meal planning – When there isn’t enough time to plan, it’s easy to start eating poorly out of stress and convenience. Having at-home care professional can help you figure out a meal plan and what foods to avoid, given your situation.
- Light housework – While no replacement for a housekeeper, an at-home care professional can pitch in with some light housework, such as taking out the trash, tidying up, making the bed, and helping with laundry. With someone around to help with the little things, it’s easier to spend time on what matters most to you.
- Stress management – The help you get from an at-home health professional can do a lot to relieve stress. You may feel like you’re learning to maintain a new lifestyle. Health aides and nurses are trained to adjust easily for you and your family, with excellent cardiac care at home.
Making your care plan more manageable helps ensure that you can follow it and recover as soon and fully as possible. And having everything in one place means you’ll have more time and energy for the things that you love.
Who Benefits From At-Home Cardiac Care?
Whether you or your loved one suffers from a heart condition, you may benefit from at-home cardiac care. If you’re not sure, here is a list of issues that a team of at-home care professionals can address with a home-based cardiac rehabilitation program:
- Managing medication
- Frequent visits to the doctor
- Learning to use equipment, such as oxygen tanks
- Needing a way to get to the doctor’s office
- Having difficulty with walking
- Help with physical activity and weight monitoring
What is Heart Disease?
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for one out of four deaths.3 While it manifests in various ways, the most common risk factors of heart disease are high blood pressure, cholesterol, and smoking. Here’s a look at some of the more common forms of heart disease:
- Coronary heart disease – Also known as coronary artery disease and ischemic heart disease. Fatty plaques build up in the arteries, restricting the flow of blood. This condition is typically the result of obesity, smoking, or a poor diet.
- Arrhythmia – An irregular heartbeat often the result of an unhealthy lifestyle.
- Cardiomyopathy – A condition that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood.4
- Heart infection – The result of bacteria, parasites, or viruses infecting the heart muscle.
Heart diseases increase the risk of a more serious ailment—heart failure. Heart failure requires ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, and if severe, it could require surgery. By minimizing stress and receiving specialty disease management services from home care professionals, your chances of a heart-healthy life are significantly increased.
That’s where Alliance Homecare comes in. Our team of trained nurses and aides are equipped to help manage the symptoms of heart disease in its various forms.
Make a Plan With Alliance Homecare
If you’re recovering from congestive heart failure (CHF) or if you’re trying to bolster your long-term heart health, Alliance Homecare is here to help.
Reach out today to learn more about our services and the possibility of receiving nursing support at home, and let Alliance Homecare be your guide on this journey.
Our incredible team of dedicated and knowledgeable at-home care professionals will provide you with the highest quality cardiac care from the comfort of your home and promote better lifestyle changes.
Sources:
- American Heart Association. Older Americans & Cardiovascular Diseases. https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_483970.pdf
- Medline Plus. Stress and your heart. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000768.htm
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart Disease Facts. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
- Mayo Clinic. Cardiomyopathy. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cardiomyopathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20370709#