Anticoagulants, or blood thinners, are being prescribed to more and more seniors with conditions like atrial fibrillation and deep vein thrombosis, or to avoid strokes. These medicines can save lives, but they also come with their own challenges that need to be carefully monitored. For seniors, this support can come from home care providers, ensuring they understand the impact blood thinners have on their health and well-being.
How Blood Thinners Affect Seniors
As the years pass, blood clots are more likely to occur due to factors such as limited mobility, long-term health issues, and changes in circulation. To counter this, blood thinners, which help keep arteries and veins from getting clogged, are often prescribed. Warfarin, rivaroxaban (Xarelto), apixaban (Eliquis), and dabigatran (Pradaxa) are all common types of blood thinners.
However, these medicines may work so well that they increase the risk of bleeding. For seniors, finding the right balance is key.
Unique Challenges for Seniors
Taking blood thinners becomes harder to manage for many seniors as they are often prescribed more than one medication at a time, which increases the risk of interactions. Not only that, but seniors may also struggle to remember if they took their dose or not, and accidentally take two of the same medication.
Another unique challenge they face is their risk of falling, which can cause dangerous bleeding episodes when paired with anticoagulant therapy. Beyond falling, completing simple tasks like shaving, cooking, or gardening comes with risks that could lead to cuts or injuries that may lead to bleeding.
How Home Care Helps
Home care services offer a wide range of services that help seniors maintain their freedom, even when navigating the challenges of blood thinners. For instance, trained caregivers help ensure that blood thinners are taken properly and on time.
Additionally, they can spot possible side effects early, such as bruises that don’t appear normal, cuts that bleed for an extended period, or signs of internal bleeding, to ensure that seniors receive the proper care.
Home care providers can also help seniors with meal planning, ensuring they make the proper food choices, as some foods high in vitamin K can make blood thinners less effective.
Additionally, home care professionals collaborate with seniors and their family members to ensure the home environment is safe. This might include making recommendations to remove tripping hazards, ensuring there is sufficient lighting, and assisting seniors with tasks that may involve a risk of injury.
Home care aides can also accompany seniors to healthcare visits, track symptoms and side effects, and ensure that doctors receive important information promptly. This coordination is especially important for seniors taking blood thinners, as they often need to adjust their doses based on blood tests and changes in their health.
When used correctly, blood thinners can significantly improve seniors’ lives and help them manage or prevent certain health conditions. However, blood thinners also come with risks that need to be monitored on a consistent basis, which is where health care becomes an invaluable support.
By working together with seniors, family members, and the healthcare team, home care can ensure that seniors receive the care they need.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care in Leesburg, VA, please contact the caring staff at Cardinal Home Care today! (703) 934-4610
Cardinal Home Care provides exceptional home care services in Arlington, Alexandria, Leesburg, Reston, Herndon, Manassas, Ashburn, Falls Church, McLean, Fairfax, Virginia, and the surrounding communities.
Sources:
- https://lowninstitute.org/the-harms-and-benefits-of-blood-thinners-for-older-adults
- https://www.kauveryhospital.com/news-events/safety-of-blood-thinners-in-elderly/
- https://www.webmd.com/dvt/dvt-treatment-tips-for-taking-heparin-and-warfarin-safely
- https://newsroom.heart.org/news/blood-thinners-may-prevent-cognitive-decline-in-older-patients-with-atrial-fibrillation
Cardinal Home Care launched in 2019, with the purpose of providing quality non-medical home care to seniors wishing to remain in the comfort of their homes.
Cardinal Home Care provides exceptional home care services in Arlington, Alexandria, Leesburg, Reston, Herndon, Manassas, Ashburn, Falls Church, McLean, Fairfax Virginia and the surrounding communities.
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