Five Easy Steps to Improve Living with a Chronic Disease
July 5, 2024
A chronic disease is any disease or condition that lasts for more than a year. Many chronic diseases are brought on by unhealthy lifestyle habits that are either the direct cause of the condition or exasperate the chronic condition an individual has. July 10 is National Chronic Disease Day. If your loved one suffers from a chronic disease, you can use this day to talk about steps he can take to help him manage his disease better and perhaps reduce some of the health side effects the disease causes.
Many people who continually suffer from a chronic disease do so for a variety of reasons. They may not understand what steps can help them manage their disease better and perhaps even prevent progression. Another reason may be that they know what healthy steps to take but are unable to do them themselves because of a lack of budget, transportation, or assistance. Finally, others may look at what steps should be taken and are overwhelmed, making it more likely for them to do nothing rather than try something small.
If you’ve found your loved one at one of these crossroads as he’s trying to determine how to manage his chronic disease, you may be able to help him by suggesting some small changes he can make that will get him back on the path of better health. Let’s look at some possible steps your loved one might take.
1. Hire a Personal Care at Home Provider. Having someone come into the home like a personal care at home provider and help with personal tasks like getting dressed and prepared for the day may be the first step to helping your loved one get out and take the next step in his health journey. A personal care at home provider can also be an encouraging voice for your loved one and help around the home, with better food choices or support during an attempt to quit smoking.
2. Try one healthy meal a day. If your loved one doesn’t eat healthy meals, he doesn’t need to completely overhaul his entire diet if that’s too overwhelming. Talk to him about considering making one meal every day a healthy one. For many, lunch is a great place to start by enjoying plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, and lean meats.
3. Take small strides to exercise more. The doctor may recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, but if that’s too overwhelming, have your loved one simply start with a quick walk around the neighborhood for 10 minutes. Then he can gradually increase his exercise at his speed.
4. Develop better bedtime habits. For some people, having a regular bedtime routine seems silly or too much work but getting a regular good night’s sleep can help alleviate a lot of symptoms of many chronic diseases. Encourage your loved one to start by trying to have the same bedtime and waking time each day so that his body begins to expect when it’s time to sleep and wake up.
5. Take prescribed medications consistently. If consistently taking his medications is a problem, this is where a personal care at home provider can help by monitoring and managing his medication. They can be that gentle voice that asks and reminds him to take his medicine.
If you or your loved one is looking for Personal Care at Home in Santa Clara, CA, please call Familiar Surroundings Home Care.
Santa Clara County: (408) 979-9990
San Mateo County: (650) 353-9777
Santa Cruz County: (831) 480-3990