Poor circulation is something that a lot of seniors struggle with. Leg injuries, being sedentary, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other medical ailments can all contribute to poor circulation. But keeping the blood flowing throughout the body is essential for good health and for maintaining mobility as seniors get older. Having companion care at home services can help the with this condition.
Here are some things that seniors can do to improve their circulation like:
Move More Everyday
Movement is the best way to improve circulation. Even if it’s just walking around the house or the yard getting up and walking is a fantastic way to improve circulation. If your senior loved one has a companion care at home provider have them walk together every day even if it’s just to the street corner and back. Also encourage them to get up and walk around the house at least once an hour during the day. You may want to get them a fitness tracker so that your senior parent can keep track of their steps. They may not be able to get to the recommended 10,000 steps per day but keeping track can encourage them to get more steps in.
Don’t Smoke
Seniors shouldn’t smoke for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is that smoking will make circulation worse. But some seniors can be very stubborn about quitting, especially if they have smoked for a long time. They might not realize that smoking cessation medication today is much more effective than it used to be. So even if they tried to quit in the past and couldn’t they may be able to quit now. If your senior loved one still smokes talk to their doctor about starting a smoking cessation program to get them to stop smoking. At the very least try to get them to cut back. But stopping smoking will make dramatic improvements in their health.
Wear Compression Socks Or Stockings
Your senior loved one’s doctor may tell them to wear compression socks or compression stockings. These tight fitting footwear will force blood that pools in the legs and feet back up to the heart to cycle through the circulatory system again. Compression stockings can be very difficult to put on because they are supposed to be quite tight. If your senior parent is told to wear compression stockings they may need daily help from a companion care at home provider to get them on and off each day.
Companion Care at Home Aides can Make Sure They Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is an important part of staying healthy, including improving circulation. Seniors often are dehydrated because they forget to drink water during the day. Encourage your senior loved one to drink at least one glass of water per hour to stay hydrated. You may want to get them a special water bottle or buy them some sparkling water or flavored water to encourage them to drink. Some seniors don’t want to drink water because medication that they take makes tap water taste funny to them. Bottled water may taste better.
Source: https://www.cvmus.com/vascular-treatment/poor-circulation-treatment-and-causes
