Home Care After a Heart Attack: 5 Essentials for Recovery

Modern medicine has significantly improved post-heart attack survival rates, but the care and attention given to recovery afterwards is what really counts in preventing subsequent, deadlier, second heart attacks. Getting home care after a heart attack helps with full recovery:

1. Don’t Ignore Doctor’s Orders

Your doctor should provide you a list of recovery care steps and medications with instructions after the heart attack. Make sure your family and home care team are on board with this, ask all the questions you need, and follow these instructions carefully! Your home care team can help make sure you get to all of your follow-up appointments too, as these are critical.

2. Home Care Helps Make Post-Heart Attack Home Life More Relaxing

You must allow your body ample time and rest to recover after a heart attack. Sometimes simple things like dressing, bathing and bathroom activities can be taxing – to say nothing of cooking and housework. Let your trusted home care team and your family and friends come in to help you with these things so you can rest and recover as the doctor ordered!

3. Make the Necessary Lifestyle Changes

Work with your doctor and loved ones to make the important lifestyle changes necessary to recover and prevent a future heart attack. Whether this list includes weight loss, nutrition, smoking cessation and/or exercise, changing lifetime-long habits can be hard, so you’ll need support! Your home care team and family can help support these changes with meal planning and preparation, helping you follow your doctor’s recommendations for exercise, helping you cut smoking out of your life, if that’s an issue, etc. Your life is worth all of these changes – so stay upbeat and stick with it!

4. Do NOT Ignore potential heart attack symptoms

Second heart attacks can be deadlier than the first—and having just one puts you at a higher risk for a second. Know the symptoms and do not ignore them. Immediate medical attention to any symptoms is your number one priority. Your family and home care team can help you recognize and get to the doctor or call 911 if symptoms arise.

5. Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help

Recovering from a heart attack is serious business and it takes a lot of support. If this is wearing your family thin, At Home Personal Care’s highly-skilled nurses, therapists and home care team can help you through the process and provide an extra layer of skilled support that you need to make a full recovery and prevent future heart attacks! Contact us at (703) 330-2323 for assistance today.