Managing Hypertension: A Guide for Older Adults

Has your doctor recently told you that you need to work on lowering your blood pressure?

Hypertension is one of the most common health conditions seniors face. According to Health in Aging, over 70% of seniors have high blood pressure, and only half have it under control.

Medication and medical monitoring are two important components of lowering blood pressure in the elderly. However, there are also many lifestyle changes you can make to reach your blood pressure target.

Read on as we share our top older adult health tips geared toward managing hypertension.

Get Your Doctor Involved

First and foremost, you need to talk to your doctor about the appropriate hypertension treatment for seniors. Make sure to discuss:

Past and recent blood pressure readings
Family history of hypertension and heart disease
Other diagnosed conditions
All medications and supplements you currently take

Some seniors can try reducing high blood pressure naturally and without medication. However, most will benefit from taking medications like ACE inhibitors or calcium channel blockers.

Discussing your overall health history is crucial because it can impact what medications are best for you. For example, some hypertension medications are better than others for seniors with diabetes.

Manage Your Medications

If your doctor does prescribe medication for senior blood pressure control, it's important that you adhere to your medication schedule as directed.

For example, many medications work best if taken around the same time each day. In other words, if you start taking your blood pressure medication in the morning, you need to keep taking it in the morning.

For seniors in assisted living, medication management is an integral part of assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). Staff members are available to help you stay on top of your medication schedule, whether you take one pill a day or several throughout the day.

Monitor Your Salt Intake

Whether or not you take medication to manage your hypertension, you should also monitor your salt intake. According to Hopkins Medicine, sodium causes the body to retain fluids, which can raise your blood pressure.

Unfortunately, many seniors start to lose their sense of taste. This can lead to an over-reliance on salt as a flavor enhancer. To reduce your salt intake, try:

Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables
Using products marked "low sodium"
Using herbs and spices to flavor your meals

Chef-prepared meals are one of our residents' favorite community amenities at Summit Place Assisted Living. Our chef can easily modify recipes to accommodate specific dietary needs, including low sodium.

Adopt the DASH Diet

Once you've adjusted to a low-sodium diet, you can take additional steps to manage your blood pressure dietarily. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, and revolves around the following choices:

Increasing whole foods like fruit, vegetables, and whole grains
Opting for low-fat dairy products
Replacing red meat with lean proteins like poultry and beans
Avoiding foods that are high in saturated fats

Not only does the DASH diet prioritize heart-healthy foods, but it may also lead to weight loss. For some seniors, weight loss can have a significant positive impact on blood pressure levels.

Increase Your Daily Movement

According to WebMD, regular exercise can lower blood pressure by up to 15 points. Any shift away from a sedentary lifestyle will have a positive impact on your blood pressure and heart health.

The good news is that you don't need to become a marathon runner to see positive results. Aim for 30 minutes of active movement five days a week.

If one or more disabilities limit your mobility, try modified or low-impact exercises. For example, you can take classes in chair yoga or water aerobics.

Moderate Your Alcohol Consumption

According to heart.org, alcohol consumption can have a direct impact on your blood pressure levels, even if you don't have hypertension. This is because alcohol causes the blood vessels to narrow, forcing the heart to work harder to circulate blood.

If you do drink alcohol, be mindful of how much you consume. Doctors generally recommend that men have no more than two drinks a day. For women, that number drops to one.

While people often cite the heart health benefits of red wine, you should still drink red wine in moderation.

Release Stress

When your stress levels rise, you may notice symptoms like sweating and a racing heart. What you may not realize is that your blood pressure rises, too.

According to the Mayo Clinic, researchers know that stress is linked to short-term spikes in blood pressure. While they're not sure if it has a long-term impact on blood pressure, it's still useful to keep stress under control.

Senior wellness strategies to reduce stress depend on the level of stress you're under. For example, you may find relief from minor or situational stress by exercising more or embracing mindfulness activities. For severe stress linked to chronic anxiety or depression, consider therapy or medical support.

Embrace Active Living

It may seem difficult to adopt all of these strategies for managing blood pressure in the elderly. By moving into an active senior living community like Summit Place, making those changes will be easier than you think. For example, our residents can take advantage of:

Daily activities planned by staff members
Assistance with ADLs to support overall health
Chef-prepared meals and snacks
Wellness programs and exercise classes

Plus, you'll get to enjoy all these amenities with your neighbors. Making lifestyle changes can be a lot easier when you have the company and support of friends.

Blood Pressure in the Elderly: Take a Holistic Approach to Wellness at Summit Place

If you've been diagnosed with hypertension, you're not alone. High blood pressure in the elderly is a common problem, and we're here to help you manage it.

Summit Place Assisted Living is the number one choice for seniors in Glassboro, NJ, because of our holistic approach to health. We're constantly shifting and shaping our amenities around our residents and their individual needs, creating a community that serves everyone. Schedule a tour to see what makes Summit Place so special.