February is all about the hearts. It’s not just the month for Valentine’s Day; it’s also American Heart Month. It’s a great time to share all we can about heart health and heart attack stats.
Did you know that more deadly heart attacks happen during the winter and holiday season? How about the fact from the CDC that 1 in 5 people having a heart attack don’t even know they’re having one?
The American Heart Association reported that December 25th has the highest number of heart attacks compared to any other day during the calendar year. The second-highest day is December 26, followed by the third-highest on the first of January.
What do all these days have in common? Holidays can throw people off their routines. There may be travel, nights spent sleeping poorly on bony hide-a-beds, more visiting into the late-night hours followed by the early morning coffee chatter that throws people off their routines.
As a result of all the socializing and fun, folks may skip more medications, move less, eat more, and may also use more alcohol or too much caffeine. They’re also probably forgetting to drink the recommended eight glasses of water to flush out the holiday fun.
All of these factors compounded may contribute to the uptick in heart attacks around these days of the year. The good news is that all those dates are behind us, and if you’re enjoying this blog, you can share some of this helpful information with your loved ones!
Do you know what the symptoms of a heart attack are? Many folks don’t know that they’re even having a heart attack!
Warning Signs of a Heart Attack:
- Chest Pain
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Heartburn/indigestion
- Nausea
- Pain in the shoulders, arms, neck, back, jaw/teeth, or upper abdominal area
- Shortness of breath
Prevention Tips:
- Exercise
- Follow a heart-healthy diet
- See your healthcare provider to know your numbers and your risks
- Set reminders for your medications & take them as prescribed
- Work on stress reduction
Monitoring Your Health
Daily life can be busy, and it’s easy to miss medical appointments or put them off. All the while, changes to your health may go unnoticed until they’re problematic. If you’re at risk for a heart attack or you’re managing a chronic illness, it’s important to keep appointments with your doctor.
Regular visits to your healthcare providers can significantly impact your quality of life. If health problems can be identified early, you may be able to avoid significant issues or reduce their severity.
Aspire Clinical Intelligence offers additional oversight within senior living communities to help those with heart or other health issues to have nursing support at all hours of the day. When the full-time nurses leave the community for the day and on weekends, residents and staff will continue to have access to Aspire’s A6 nurses by telephone to discuss health concerns.
This additional support can help residents and staff determine if more immediate care is required for a health condition or if a simple follow-up note to their care team is sufficient. It can help prevent potentially unnecessary visits to the emergency room when full-time nurses are away.
Aspire and Edgewood have also partnered with CarePredict at Edgewood Healthcare communities. CarePredict provides residents with a watch that will track movement, nutritional intake, and vitals. These watches communicate with a digital dashboard, allowing clinical staff to see any significant changes.
When changes are flagged for residents, staff can intervene to recommend follow-up with caregivers and, if needed, with their medical providers. For instance, if a resident begins drinking less fluids and their bathroom visits are decreased, clinical staff can check in to find out more.
A reduction in fluids and a change in the number of trips to the restroom could alert clinicians of a possible urinary tract infection or that a resident is experiencing dehydration. This early intervention process can add a layer of safety for seniors facing health problems, including those with a history of heart attack risks.
If you’d like to learn more about Aspire Clinical Intelligence and how they’re helping seniors maintain their health and wellness within senior living communities, please contact us at info@aspireci.com.