Lots of seniors don’t want to quit smoking because they assume it will be difficult or that it won’t improve their quality of life. But the reality is that your senior can gain some tremendous health benefits if she is willing to at least try to give up smoking. It might even be easier than she thinks it will be.
She Can Breathe Better
If your elderly family member has been a smoker for a long time, she might not realize how compromised her lungs are. Quitting smoking doesn’t immediately undo all of the damage from smoking, but her lungs can indeed heal, even a little. And when she’s not putting smoke in her lungs, there’s more room for air to get into her lungs and to the rest of her body.
She Reduces Her Risk of Developing Serious Illnesses
Smoking is linked to many huge health issues, like heart attacks, strokes, cancer, and lung illnesses like COPD. By quitting smoking, your elderly family member may be able to reduce her risk of developing these health problems. Again, her risk doesn’t go away completely overnight, but she does reduce her risk factors by a great deal and that does make a big difference.
Her Energy Levels Can Go Up
When your elderly family member is able to breathe better and she feels better, she may be shocked to realize that her energy levels improve. That’s powerful if she’s been feeling terrible for a long time. She may still need help from 24-hour home care providers with some tasks, and they can also help her to conserve some of her newly regained energy. Being able to rely on caregivers to assist her can help her to spend her energy wisely.
She Might Regain Some of Her Senses of Smell and Taste
Something your elderly family member might not realize is that smoking hinders her senses of smell and taste in a big way. Her favorite foods might taste way better to her after she gives up smoking, which might be a powerful incentive for her. Having 24-hour home care providers doing the cooking might be even more incentive for her to reconsider smoking.
If your elderly family member is finding it difficult to give up smoking on her own, talk to her doctor. Her doctor may have other tools to offer that can make the process a lot easier than she expects it to be.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring 24-Hour Home Care in Charleston, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116. Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.
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