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When You’re Stressed as a Caregiver for Mom, it Could be Affecting Your Blood Pressure

Caregiver in Tamarac FL

National High Blood Pressure Awareness Month is May and if you are feeling stressed and anxious as a caregiver for your aging mother, it could be affecting many aspects of your life, including blood pressure. Blood pressure essentially measures the pressure in the arteries while your heart is beating as well as when it is at rest.

There are two numbers associated with blood pressure, the systolic and diastolic. The systolic is the first number, or the higher of the two, and it generally measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart is pumping. The diastolic, or smaller and second of the two numbers, is measuring the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest, or between heartbeats.

Blood pressure can increase and become a serious health issue for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common include poor diet, such as a diet that is high in sodium, cholesterol, or other ingredients that are bad for us. It could also be caused by certain prescription medications, but your doctor will be the one to make that determination. It can also be caused by stress and anxiety.

When somebody is stressed on a regular basis, it usually leads to some level of anxiety. That can often cause the heart to begin working harder than it has to in order to move oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

What can you do about high blood pressure when you’re a caregiver?

You may feel that the only option for taking care of your mother is you. That’s simply not true. You may be concerned about her safety and health, have a million other things going on in life, and feel that there just isn’t enough time during the day. That can certainly create a lot of stress for just about anyone.

However, even if you are single, living alone, and have no other family in the area, there are still other options to help your aging mother.

The most important to consider is a professional caregiver. A professional home care provider, especially one hired through an agency in the area, will usually have experience in the ability to assist in caring for your mother on a regular basis. Your mother might only need assistance for a couple of hours a day. However, that still may be putting an incredible burden on your time and your life.

Hiring a caregiver for two days a week, for example, could give you the opportunity to focus on other important things in your life, thus alleviating stress.

If you notice that your blood pressure is increasing because you had checked or gone to one of the self-serve stations at local pharmacies, make an appointment with your doctor. Don’t wait. High blood pressure can lead to many serious health risks.

If you or a family member near Tamarac, FL are in need of caregiver services, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing Service in Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Delray Beach, Coconut Creek, Taramac, Margate, and surrounding Florida cities.

Stephen Sternbach

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