Home Care in Laguna Beach CA
If your aging parents are preparing to undergo surgery that will require an extended recovery period, have recently been injured in a way that has severely limited their mobility, or has an inactive
lifestyle for some other reason, you may have heard their medical team talking about the risk of blood clots. This can be a very dangerous situation, but largely preventable, meaning that by understanding blood clots, their causes, and how you can help prevent them, you can feel more confident in your ability to protect your seniors should such a situation arise in your home care journey with them.
Clotting is something that happens in the blood naturally and is an important part of protecting the body. Also known as coagulation, this is what happens when you are cut or injured in some way and your body stops the bleeding, preventing excessive bleeding and possible bleeding out. A clot forms over the injured vessel until the vessel is able to heal itself, and then the body naturally dissolves the clot away. Sometimes, however, the blood clots inside the vessels without particular reason or a clot does not dissolve properly.
The Association of Hematology estimates that as many as 900,000 people are affected by Deep Vein Thrombosis, or DVT, a particularly dangerous type of blood clot, and up to 100,000 of those die from the condition. Fortunately, clots are the most treatable and preventable of blood conditions, which makes awareness your most important tool.
Factors that could increase your aging loved ones’ risk of developing a blood clot include:
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Prolonged periods of inactivity
• Being over the age of 60
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Trauma to certain areas of the body
• Certain chronic inflammatory diseases
• Diabetes
The symptoms of blood clots vary depending on the location of the clot within the body. If your aging parents are at risk of developing a blood clot, symptoms that you and their in home health care services provider should be aware of include:
• Chest heaviness
• Shortness of breath
• Severe headache
• Sudden difficulty with speech or movement
• Sharp chest pain
• Racing heart
• Severe abdominal pain
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recommends the following ways that you and your parents’ care provider can help them to lower their risk of developing blood clots:
• Avoid wearing restrictive clothing
• Wear compression stockings during periods of inactivity
• Talk with your parents’ doctor about recommended sodium intake and take steps to keep up with that level in their regular diet
• Change positions frequently any time when you are sitting, standing, or lying down for more than one hour at a time
• Get up and move around as frequently as possible
• Occasionally elevate your legs so that your feet are 6 inches above your heart
• Avoid crossing your legs
• Avoid bumping, hitting, or otherwise injuring your legs
If you are concerned about your parents’ risk of developing a blood clot, do not hesitate to get in touch with their doctor to discuss the risks and develop a course of action that is right for them.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Laguna Beach, CA or the surrounding Orange County areas, please call us at 949-535-2211. We provide senior care services in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Woods, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo and surrounding areas of Orange County California. Contact us today to learn more.
https://www.hematology.org/Patients/Clots/
https://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/prevention/disease/bloodclots.html#preventing
