How Low-Sodium Diets Help Seniors

By Jessica Ott | March 8, 2022 |

Are you trying to help your elderly loved one find the diet that will be best for their health? If so, you probably already know there is an abundance of diets you could choose from. With that being said, you and their senior home care providers may be looking for ideas in this matter. One thing that might help is to focus on diets that are low in sodium. With heart issues being prevalent in senior citizens, these types of diets are often best for numerous reasons.

Helps to Lower Blood Pressure

Senior Home Care Gettysburg PA – How Low-Sodium Diets Help Seniors

There are far too many senior citizens who have high blood pressure. If your elderly loved one is one of these people, going on a low-sodium diet can help to bring their blood pressure levels down. Let them know this doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t have any sodium. However, if they can limit their sodium, it can significantly improve their blood pressure numbers.

Lowering the Risk of a Heart Attack

Another reason why senior citizens should be on a low-sodium diet is to lower their risk of having a heart attack. Studies show that elderly people who eat a minimal amount of sodium every day have nearly half the chance of having a heart attack than those who eat a lot of sodium. As you can tell, the improvement to your elderly loved one’s heart health would be significant if they stay on a low-sodium diet.

Reducing the Bad Cholesterol Levels

Does your elderly loved one have high LDL (bad cholesterol) levels? If so, they have a much higher risk of having a heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. The good news is that if your elderly loved one gets on a low-sodium diet and sticks to it, that can help to lower their LDL cholesterol levels by a lot. You or a senior home care provider can even remind your elderly loved one what to eat and not eat to stick to this type of diet.

Prevention of Heart Failure

While there is never a 100% chance that someone can prevent heart failure, there are many lifestyle changes someone can make to significantly reduce their risk of this happening. Research shows that senior citizens who are on a low-sodium diet for a longer period have a much lower risk of heart failure than senior citizens who have a moderate to a large amount of sodium in their diet.

Fewer Chances for Kidney Damage

Your elderly loved one will have fewer chances of kidney damage if they stick to a low-sodium diet, too. In these types of studies, the results show that sodium can severely damage the kidneys. It is mostly due to the blood vessel issues that happen when someone takes in a lot of sodium.

Hiring Senior Home Care Services to Assist

Now that you know more about the benefits of a low-sodium diet, you and senior home care providers can encourage your elderly loved one to stick to this type of diet. The sooner they start limiting their sodium, the better it will be for all of these reasons.

Sources: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000109.htm

If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Home Care Services in Gettysburg PA, please talk to us. Our friendly staff can answer all of your questions. In-home Senior Care in Adams and York Counties, PA. Call Today: (717) 698-8258.

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Jessica Ott

Owner at A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC

Jessica Ott is the Owner at A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC.

A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC is dedicated to providing our clients with a better quality of life through our support services while maintaining their independence in the comfort of their own home.

As a Home Care Agency licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, we can provide families with peace of mind, knowing their loved one is in good hands.

We will work with you to prepare a care plan that incorporates your needs, your wishes, and your preferred schedule. Each client is matched with a caregiver who can best meet their individual needs, whether they reside in a house, apartment, condominium, assisted living, or nursing community.