High cholesterol levels increase your elderly family member’s chances of developing bigger problems, such as heart disease. High cholesterol can also leave her open to a stroke, which is definitely something that she wants to avoid. There are some lifestyle changes that your elderly family member might consider making that can help with cholesterol levels. But she’s going to need to commit to being consistent with these changes to get the results that she wants. Home care providers can assist in adhering to these changes.
Talk to Her Doctor
It’s important to understand your senior’s health situation as clearly as possible. If she’s got other health issues or if her cholesterol levels are extremely high, lifestyle changes alone might not be enough. That’s why you need to talk with her doctor before starting any lifestyle changes on your own, so that you and your senior can put the right plan in motion.
Adjust Her Diet
Dietary changes are one of the easiest ways for your senior to start getting her cholesterol levels under control. Her doctor may have some specific recommendations that assist her with other health issues, but a good rule of thumb involves eating whole foods. Boosting fiber intake, eating foods rich in healthy fats, and limiting unhealthy fats can all be helpful.
Add Exercise
Adding more physical activity, if cleared by your senior’s doctor, is a great way to help her body to let go of some of that trapped cholesterol. Exercise boosts the “good” cholesterol, or the HDL cholesterol. Taking a couple of walks each day can be enough physical activity to reap the benefits your senior wants.
Look at Things to Cut
Your senior may also need to start looking for some things to cut from her routine. Drinking more than a few alcoholic drinks a week can have a negative impact on her health, including on her cholesterol level. Likewise, smoking has a full-body impact that isn’t positive. These changes and eliminating other vices may help more than your senior expects that they will.
Getting Assistance from Home Care Providers
Not all of these changes might be super easy for your senior out of the gate on her own. Changing her diet, for instance, can be intimidating if she mostly eats out now. Hiring home care providers to handle meal preparation for your senior may be just the ticket. Home care services can also offer other types of assistance that can help your elderly family member to live her healthiest life more easily.