A healthy heart, a healthy life. That sounds so simple, and for elderly heart health awareness there are simple steps to enjoy better, healthier living.
Every February, the U.S. marks “American Heart Month” as part of the Million Hearts® initiative. For 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a campaign called “Start Small. Live Big.”
If you’re over the age of 55, living in retirement communities, assisted living communities or assisted living facilities, or even senior apartments, this year’s campaign is a reminder that you can help yourself to living a healthier life with small steps.
In a previous blog post (link), we saw how the first step to better cardiovascular health involves working with your doctor. One of the next steps you can take is physical activity.
An active life doesn’t have to be intimidating. It’s also important to stay active so you can enjoy the things you like doing to include quality time with your family, friends and grandchildren, traveling and other activities.
Take these 4 easy steps
Here are four easy steps to get you started on heart healthy living:
- 5 minutes—That’s all it takes. If you’re just starting on being active, you should start slow. Also, go at your own pace. Just 5 minutes a day of activity benefits your health. Build up over time but be sure to ease into it.
- Get out and walk—Taking a walk is a great way to start being active. Go for a short walk in the morning, or afternoon. Remember, just 5 minutes of activity starts you on your way to a healthier lifestyle.
- Move around—Short walks, cleaning, gardening, swimming, and other things all count as physical activity. It’s that simple!
- Find an activity partner—Doing activities with someone else is more fun! Go with your spouse, friend, or acquaintance. You can also try a group class at your retirement community, assisted living community or assisted living facility.
Raising heart health awareness
The Million Hearts® initiative is a national effort co-led by the CDC and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes within five years and improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans.
Achieving this goal is done by raising awareness of how to have healthy hearts. The Million Hearts® campaign wants you to avoid unhealthy behaviors putting you at risk of heart attack and stroke, while improving the care of people with key risk factors.
The Million Hearts® notes that one of the alarming trends in the U.S. is that the death rates due to heart disease appear to be stalling for adults ages 35 to 64. The stalled death rate comes at a time over the past 40 years when overall death rates from heart disease have declined steadily.
The message is simple for people in older age groups, particularly those in retirement communities, assisted living communities, or senior apartments: Improve your cardiovascular health. Taking the small, easy steps we discussed can help you lower your risk of heart attack and stroke, and also lower your risk factors.
Now take those steps. You got this!
Get To Know Bellaire At Stone Port
At Bellaire at Stone Port, we know that choosing the right community for yourself or a loved one is a big responsibility. Touring communities and asking questions can be taxing.
Let us make the experience enjoyable for you! We invite you to schedule a visit and come out to experience the Stone Port difference for yourself.