It can be hard to live a long way away from someone you love who is dealing with a chronic health condition, like cardiovascular disease. Although distance poses a challenge, there are ways to overcome it.
Try these four suggestions:
- Check in regularly. Dealing with a chronic health condition is stressful, and unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol and overeating, are not good for heart health. Call your loved one regularly and be a compassionate listener.
- Stock their kitchen. Managing cardiovascular disease often requires changes to a person’s diet—more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean meats, fish and poultry and less saturated fat, sugar and salt. Encourage healthier eating by grocery shopping from afar. A meal kit delivery service can bring fresh, healthy ingredients and recipes to your loved one’s doorstep, and many stores now offer online ordering with home delivery or curbside pickup. Any of these options can save your loved one the time and energy it can take to plan and shop for meals.
- Use technology to do chores that you can’t. Purchase a smart speaker for your loved one and set it up to remind him or her when it’s time to take medications. Help arrange transportation to and from follow-up appointments with a ridesharing app.
- Schedule time for exercise. Physical activity not only prevents heart disease, it also helps people who have had a heart attack regain quality of life. With your loved one’s permission, speak with your loved one’s primary care provider to see if cardiovascular rehab is recommended, or whether time with a personal trainer or physical therapist would be more beneficial. Then schedule sessions for your loved one.
If your loved one needs to come in for an in-person appointment to care for their heart, you can rest assured that they will be safe. Find out what precautions University of Maryland Medical System facilities are taking to keep patients safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
