Blood pressure is something that almost every caregiver for the elderly should know. Whether you are caring for your mother, father, another loved one, or as part of your job, you may not think much about blood pressure. However, medications, stress, anxiety, the foods that we eat, exercise … all of these things can affect one’s blood pressure, causing us to have higher or lower blood pressure.
Whenever the blood pressure decreases, it means that there is less pressure in the bloodstream to help move the blood throughout the body. When the blood is too thin, the pressure will tend to decrease. If it decreases too much, it won’t pass through the body as easily, or quickly. This has the potential to starve certain organs of the oxygen that it needs to function properly.
When blood pressure is too high, it leads to an increases risk of a host of problems, including aneurisms, heart attacks, and more. When the pressure is too high, the blood is struggling to move through the veins, placing too much strain on the heart and arteries trying to get it through the body.
Think about it in terms of a balloon. When you inflate a balloon with your lungs (filling up a balloon the old fashioned way, with your mouth), what happens? Once you’re able to get air moving into the balloon, it begins to inflate. As you reach a certain point and the balloon begins to stretch and expand, what do you notice? You notice an increase of resistance. It becomes harder for you to force more air into the balloon.
It requires you to work harder to add more air into the balloon. What happens if you keep going, though? Eventually, with enough air, the balloon will burst.
When you’re providing home care for someone, the more that you know about blood pressure and how to monitor it, or help the patient monitor his or her own blood pressure, then you will be helping them to determine if there are any factors that cause their blood pressure to increase abnormally.
You may notice that when they take a certain medication their blood pressure increases. Perhaps after a certain meal it decreases. This can be important information that would help them get the right level of care from their doctor.
If you want to learn more about blood pressure while you’re a caregiver, you can take a basic first aid course, or consult with a medical professional about how you can make a difference and ensure safety and health of the person for whom you’re caring for.
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiving services near League City TX area, call Sheila’s Angels and talk to our caring staff about your needs. Sheila’s Angels Provides In-home Senior Care for the Houston Area. Serving Clear Lake City, League City, Friendswood, Pearland, Alvin, El Largo, Nassau Bay, Seabrook, Taylor Lake, Clear Lake Shores and surrounding communities.
For More Information or a FREE Consultation CALL 832-295-6456.