Author: eeccmsadmin

Cardiac Rehabilitation Care: What to Focus On During Your Recovery

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States. It’s no wonder heart health is talked about so much and why there is an entire week in the month of March dedicated to Cardiac Rehabilitation. With this in mind, we want to give you the top things to focus on when recovering after a heart attack.

Recover with Exercise and Physical Therapy

Exercise and physical therapy, specifically to strengthen your cardiovascular system is a great place to start. After consulting with your doctor, they may suggest aerobic and resistance exercise training for you. Your exercises should be specifically developed for what you are able to do and what is safe. The objective of exercise-based training it to get your heart pumping. Regular exercise may even reduce stress! Working out can have a positive impact on your overall mood and can improve your quality of life.

Start Heart-Healthy Living

What is heart-healthy living? This may be a term you hear often after going through something like a heart attack. To keep it in simple terms, it’s living each day making small choices that positively affect your heart health. Small steps to protect your heart health include avoiding things like tobacco, eating a well-balanced diet with more fruits and vegetables and limiting red meats and sweets. Making conscious decisions like taking stairs instead of an elevator; or eating an apple instead of ice cream seems small but each one of those choices is like choosing to care for your heart.

Manage Stress

Counseling and stress management is the third step to a successful cardiac rehabilitation program. Stress effects people in different ways but for every person, stress can contribute negatively on your health. Excess stress can lead to high blood pressure and can contribute to heart disease. Avoiding stress and learning to manage depression has shown to help in the prevention of a second heart attack. Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional about psychological and social therapies to manage your stress. Knowing how to properly recover after a heart attack is essential but keep in mind that prevention from a second attack is possible.

Turn to Your Support Team

Cardiac rehabilitation is a team effort, it includes yourself, your family or friends, and your health care support. Utilizing your support team during your recovery can have a huge impact on the future health of your heart. If you or a loved one needs assistance with care contact Elmhurst Extended Care Center at (630) 516-5000.

How to Avoid COPD

If you have COPD and go untreated, you are at a much higher risk to develop conditions like heart disease or lung cancer. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to avoid COPD.

What is COPD and What Causes it?

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a common, chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs. It is often categorized in one of two main forms: chronic bronchitis or emphysema.

Chronic Bronchitis COPD

Chronic Bronchitis occurs when your bronchial tubes become inflamed and begin producing a lot of mucus, leading to long-term coughing with mucus and difficulty breathing.

Emphysema

Emphysema occurs when the lungs have become damaged over time. The damage causes the air sacs of the lungs to enlarge and stretch, and the individual suffers from breathlessness.

COPD is caused by consistent exposure to irritants in the air. Several symptoms of COPD are:

• Difficulty breathing
• Ongoing coughs that produce mucus
• Wheezing

Avoid COPD by Knowing the Triggers

While triggers for COPD can be widely varied, there are three that are the most common.

Avoid COPD by Maintaining Your Physical Health

Like with most illnesses, physical health plays a large and vital role in how likely you are to suffer from an illness as well as how quickly you can recover. If you’ve ever had a cough last much longer than your cold, you can understand how easily it can be to fall victim to breathing difficulties due to sickness.

When it comes to avoiding COPD, it’s important to take extra precautions with your health. Try to avoid the common cold or flu as much as possible. You can do this by taking extra vitamin C during peak seasons, maintaining a healthy diet, and keeping up to date on the latest vaccinations – especially your annual flu shot.

If you do succumb to a cold or flu, it’s especially important to allow your body adequate time to recover. Don’t push yourself back into your normal routine too quickly. Get the rest you need so as to not exacerbate the symptoms and create problems with COPD down the road.

Avoid COPD by Being Cognizant of the Weather

While you can’t control the weather, you can be more intentional about how you participate outside in the elements. While you might only thing that cold weather can produce complications from COPD, extreme heat can also be a culprit.

Be mindful throughout the year when you head outdoors. Make sure to bundle up and limit your time outside in the cold. On the same hand, minimize your time under direct sunlight and ensure you stay hydrated.

Pollution in the air has been found to be a large trigger for COPD. This can be attributed to outdoor pollution as well as dust, mold, and fumes indoors. If you want to avoid COPD, it’s important to pay attention to the air around you. Limit your time outdoors when pollution levels are high. Keep your home clean and maintained. While pollution isn’t altogether avoidable, the better your can protect yourself against it, the better your odds are of avoiding COPD.

Avoid COPD by Quitting Smoking or Staying Away from Second-Hand Smoke

Cigarette smoke is the leading cause of COPD. Up to 75% of people who have COPD either smoke or used to smoke. If you are a smoker, quit smoking now. It is the MOST important step you can take to avoid COPD.

Second-hand smoke is just as lethal of a risk factor for COPD as first-hand smoke. Even if you aren’t a smoker yourself, it’s essential to stay away from exposure to second-hand smoke. This includes smoke from cigars and pipe tobacco as well.

Think You Might Have COPD? Get Treated Now.

While COPD is a serious disease of the lungs, it can be highly manageable when properly treated. If you or someone you love is experiencing signs or symptoms of COPD, visit with a doctor right away.

For more information about pulmonary health and respiratory care, check out this blog from Elmhurst Extended Care Center’s Respiratory Therapist.

6 Holiday Activities You Can Enjoy Indoors with Your Senior Loved One

The holiday activities you do with your senior loved one this season don’t have to be exciting to be special and meaningful. It’s all about spending time together, feeling included, and enjoying good company. Simply allowing them to join in brings joy and helps your loved one enjoy the season. Try out these fun and easy indoor holiday activities this season with them:

Holiday Activities You Can Enjoy Indoors with Your Senior Loved One

1. Put on their favorite tunes

Whether you use new technology or old, it doesn’t matter. Gather with your loved one this holiday season and enjoy listening to some of their favorite hits together.

2. Prepare and cook favorite holiday dishes

If your senior used to enjoy putting together and hosting family get togethers, it may be difficult for them now to know they aren’t able to do it on their own anymore. Bring them back in the kitchen and enjoy the preparation and cooking of the meal together this holiday season.

Here are 10 super easy holiday dishes you can make (and they’re healthy, too).

3. Ask for their help picking out presents

Your senior loved one may be surprised at just how easy it is to shop from the comfort of your home these days. If they’re unable to join you on a shopping excursion, bring the shopping to them by asking them to help you pick out gifts online.

4. Make a holiday wreath

Seniors love activities as they keep the brain stimulated and help to keep them feeling capable. Purchase all the supplies for wreath making, and then plan a fun indoor activity where you can each make a wreath of your own. If your senior is in a long-term nursing facility, help them display their wreath so they can enjoy it all season long!

Here are some great holiday wreath ideas to get you started.

5. Host a holiday movie night extravaganza

Bring out the comfy blankets, pop all the popcorn, and cozy up together around the TV as a family with your senior loved one this holiday season for a holiday movie night extravaganza. You could even find out what their favorite holiday movie is and make it your feature movie of the night!

6. Throw a cookie decorating party with your senior loved one

Get all the kids involved along with your senior and throw a cookie decorating party this holiday season. Put out bowls full of sprinkles, icing, and decorations, and let them go wild!

This recipe for the perfect sugar cookies will provide a great base for your decorations.

No matter how you plan on spending the holidays this year, make sure to include your senior loved one anywhere you can.

If you’re looking for the best nursing home in Elmhurst, look no further than Elmhurst Extended Care Center. Our facility offers both short and long-term care as well as a Certified Memory Care Unit for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Schedule your tour today or attend one of our family support groups for more information.