How to help a heart patient

Everyday thousands of people take on caring responsibility’s, it could be for a friend or family. You may not even realise that you are helping out. You could just be taking them for a coffee or going for a walk, but it means the world to them because it takes their mind of their current situation.

Providing Care

When a loved one is diagnosed with a heart condition they feel like they are a burden or a nuisance because of the care they have had making it hard to come to terms with the situation they are in. Loved ones can become sensitive and find it hard to accept the support you are trying to give them but you will see a massive difference in their recovery and even if they don’t show it they will be always grateful.

Don’t forget about yourself

Most of the time a carer does not realise that they are one often forgetting about themselves. When caring often the case is that you have to juggle, school, work, social life and the caring responsibility’s meaning it can be very demanding both physically and emotionally. Caring for heart condition can be complicated and overwhelming because it can be 24 hours a day meaning there isn’t any time left to look after yourself.

Carers UK is a charity that campaigns for the rights of carers, If you feel over whelmed with the whole situation and are becoming stress, visit Carers UK and get in contact with them for additional support.  

Additionally, you can contact your local GP for face to face help and advice or tell social services who can help out because you could be entitle to benefits, allowance and workshops with other carers.

What type of support you can provide

The caring process can be very complicated but only if you make it. Below are some simple steps that can help a heart patient.

1. Just be there for them, by doing this they will always have someone to talk to, ask questions or just to watch the tv with. Having someone there can help ease their rehabilitation.
2. Monitoring medication, it’s best not to take over the role of managing the medication but being there to keep them on track and ensuring that the prescriptions are collected on time.
3. Learn the symptoms and warning signs, because you can be spending a lot of time with the patient you will be able to spot if they take a turn for the worse or become ill and by calling 999 you could save their live. To find out more about the symptoms and warning signs visit our page Click Here
4. Making sure that they exercise regularly and keep active by going for walks and swims as an active lifestyle is a healthy heart. For more information on keeping active visit our page Click Here

Join us

Join the Manx Heart Support group, talk to other carers in your situation allowing you to ask questions, gain knowledge and just to have a friendly face to face chat.