It might sound silly to think that anyone isn’t aware that smoking is dangerous to someone’s health. But the truth is that lots of seniors know about the dangers of smoking and continue to do it. Helping them to think more about the ways that smoking affects their health now and in the future, as well as how it might affect their plans to age in place, can have an impact. Home care providers can be part of the plan to leave smoking in the past.
Smoking Really Is Harmful
Even if seniors have smoked for a long time, they might not be aware just how bad smoking is for their health. There are other ingredients in cigarettes and even loose tobacco that are damaging to lung tissue when they’re breathed in. Smoking is a major contributing factor to heart disease, COPD, lung cancer, and other serious health conditions. If seniors aren’t battling those issues now, they could be around the corner.
Secondhand Smoke Is Just as Bad
A surprising fact for many smokers is that secondhand smoke, or the smoke that other people breathe because someone else is smoking, is just as dangerous. If seniors aren’t willing to stop smoking because of the impact on their own health, sometimes learning about secondhand smoke can turn them around.
Quitting Is Possible
Sometimes seniors who smoke avoid talking about quitting because they assume that it just is too difficult and isn’t possible. There are lots of tools available now to help people quit smoking, no matter how long they smoked. Seniors can talk to their doctors about medications that might help. Some smokers also benefit from working with a therapist to help them quit. Once they have a plan, elder care providers can help seniors stick to their goals.
Recovery Is Faster Than Expected
Even though not all damage from smoking is reversible, seniors may find that they heal faster than they expected once they do quit smoking. They may find that their senses of smell and taste come back, for instance. They may also start to breathe better, even if they’re dealing with lung health issues from smoking.
Replacing Habits Related to Smoking Can Help
Very often seniors who smoke associate smoking with other habits and experiences. For instance, they might have chosen to smoke right after a meal or while they read the paper in the morning. When they do those activities now, they might feel a much stronger urge to smoke. Replacing smoking with other habits during those activities can help and home care providers can offer suggestions that might help.
When seniors get serious about leaving smoking in the past, their quality of life can significantly improve. Home care providers can help seniors remember why they want to quit smoking and find new ways to keep themselves from reaching out to smoke again. While it can be a tough vice to give up, seniors can feel healthier and have a much better experience aging in place if they’re interested in putting smoking in the past.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Dover, MA, please contact the caring staff at PlatinumCare+ today. Call (617) 237-0867.
PlatinumCare + was born out of the desire and passion to provide the very best home health care possible in Brookline, Dover, Newton, Needham, Watertown, Weston, Cambridge, Lincoln, Sudbury, Belmont, Boston MA, and surrounding areas.
All with decades of experience, Tim in IT Operations, Support, and Management, Brenda in Client Relations, Healthcare Services & Sales Management, and Anne in Healthcare as a Nurse Practitioner combined their skills to form what is now PlatinumCare +.
As immigrants to the US, all came from backgrounds where Healthcare for aging parents was a responsibility of the immediate family and the entire community. Aging, sick, or terminal community members were cared for physically, emotionally, and financially by family, friends, including strangers! This community approach, Healthcare with a difference, delivered with the utmost love, care, sacrifice, and passion, forms the basis of how PlatinumCare + grounds itself.
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