Living with Heart Disease

At Partners in Care, we help you follow a plan of care that addresses the challenges specific to your condition and your life. Our home health aides receive specialized training to care for patients with the chronic conditions associated with heart disease.

Partners in Care home health aides can help you live more safely, comfortably and independently by:

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

• Giving reminders to take medications
• Incorporating heart-healthy foods into a daily diet, encouraging a consistent aerobic exercise routine

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

• Identifying factors that could worsen the client's condition (i.e., strenuous activity, heavy meals, extreme temperatures)
• Teaching you to recognize symptoms that require immediate medical attention (i.e., chest pain, difficulty breathing, light-headedness)

Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)

• Encouraging behaviors that will speed up the recovery process (i.e., consistent exercise; low-fat, low-sodium diet)
• Helping you monitor your blood pressure every day

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

• Reminding you to take prescribed medications and follow recommended dietary changes
• Using elastic stockings to reduce swelling in the hands and feet, which can also be a sign of abnormal fluid retention

Resources 

American Heart Association
1-800-AHA-USA-1 (1-800-242-8721)
www.americanheart.org

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
1-770-488-2424
http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
301-592-8573
www.nhlbi.nih.gov

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services National Women’s Health Information Center
1-800-994-9662
www.4woman.gov/faq/heartdis.htm

American Dietetic Association
1-800-877-1600
www.eatright.org