Caring for a Senior After a Heart Attack or Stroke

Help promote healing when caring for a senior after a heart attack or stroke with these helpful tips.

When a loved one experiences a stroke or heart attack, you will likely want to focus on a list of actions that can be taken to ensure that the damaged heart heals and the individual’s lifestyle choices that contributed to the heart attack are changed. San Diego Home Caregivers often receives calls from families looking for a list of actionable items – to-do lists for care and heart health. In a scenario fraught with chaos, lists give family caregivers a sense of control. They are the handbook for a caregiver’s new reality, helping them know what they can do to promote healing and keep another heart attack from taking place.

That information is available, and when connected with our in-home care services, makes a significant difference in a patient’s outcome. However, there is an additional side to the person’s healing that is frequently overlooked. After surviving a heart attack or stroke, patients are often overwhelmed with changes. The to-do list that provides comfort and a sense of order for the family caregiver is often a totally new set of rules to live by for the individual needing care, and will likely restrict or redefine old lifestyle choices. The overall experience of the person living this newly-adapted life can cause anger, frustration, fearfulness, or temporary depression.

If clinical depression is suspected, it is crucial to notify a doctor for assistance. Below are common signs to help you recognize clinical depression when caring for a senior:

Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
Loss of interest in day-to-day activities
Weight or appetite changes
Sleep changes – either insomnia, particularly waking in the early morning hours, or oversleeping
Feeling “keyed up” and restless or feeling sluggish and physically slowed down
Self-loathing displayed by strong feelings of worthlessness, or harsh criticism of perceived faults and mistakes
Difficulty with focusing, decision-making or memory

Handling change and making it possible for the person to achieve a sense of normalcy after a stroke or heart attack isn’t easy, but San Diego Home Caregivers can help. You are not alone when it comes to caring for a senior. We are available, and we have the knowledge, tools, compassion, and training you need to best help someone you love.

Let San Diego Home Caregivers help you care for your loved one after a heart attack or stroke in the setting of your choice: your house, an assisted living facility, a skilled nursing facility, or a memory care facility. For more information about our home care services, or for help determining the level of home care a loved one requires, reach out to our team. Contact us at (619) 487-9000 and discover more about our home care services in La Mesa and nearby areas. For more information on all of the other areas we serve outside of La Mesa, please visit our Service Area page.