Caring for the Heart

• Blood Pressure Diary
• FAQs About Heart/Stroke Survivors
• Communication Tips for Heart Attack, Heart Surgery & Stroke Patients

Warning Signs
The American Heart Association provides basic warning signs of heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest, as well as information on what to do in any of these situations.

Cardiovascular Disease 101
This overview is provided by the Mayo Clinic to help people understand the basics of cardiovascular disease and the conditions that can affect heart and blood vessels.

High Blood Pressure
Health information is provided by the National Institution on Aging on how to handle hypertension.

Everyday Heart Health
Learn about heart disease, heart health and heart attacks through helpful information provided by EverydayHealth.com.

Cardiovascular Disease Stats
This fact sheet lists common national statistics concerning cardiovascular disease.

Global Effects
An interactive map of the world, courtesy of the World Heart Federation, shows users the annual number of deaths for specific types of heart disease in various regions of the world.

Heart Information Sheets
The American Heart Association offers a number of downloadable information sheets to answer any heart-related questions.

Heart Healthy Grocery List
This easy-to-use online system helps create a grocery list of certified heart-healthy foods.

Heart-Healthy Diet
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute offers an interactive nutrition calculator for creating a heart-healthy personal eating plan.

AARP’s Heart Health
The Heart Health section on the AARP Web site is full of helpful tips and advice for keeping one’s heart as healthy as possible.

Understanding Stroke
Family Caregiver Alliance offers an informative fact sheet to help caregivers when caring for stroke victims.

How’s Your Heart?
This online cholesterol health assessment reveals risk for heart disease, as well as information, tips and strategies for improving cholesterol levels.

Smoking Among Adults: Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke
Highlights from the 2004 Surgeon General’s Report are provided on the health consequences of smoking, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tobacco, Heart Disease and Stroke
This downloadable fact sheet details how tobacco use contributes to cardiovascular diseases worldwide.

Other resources from Victorian Home Care:

• Assisting the Sight Impaired
• Assistance for the Sandwich Generation
• Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention
• Providing Relief for the Alzheimer's Caregiver
• Living With and Caring For Cancer
• Care Coordination
• Caring for the Heart
• Senior Nutrition
• Benefits of Homecare
• National Family Caregivers Month
• Depression Masking as Dementia

Below is a list of resources that might be of some use.

• AARP
• Alliance on Aging - Friendly Visitor Program, employment desk, health insurance counseling, help with taxes, home share and other senior information and referral. (831) 646-1458
• Alzheimer’s Association - (831) 647-9890 Monterey area, (831) 464-9982 Santa Cruz area
• Eldercare Locator - Provides information on a wide range of services for seniors all across the country.
• Family Caregiver Alliance
• Legal Services for Seniors - Legal aid for seniors (831) 372-3989
• Lifeline Service - Provides a 24 hour emergency Response system and other services (831) 625-4516
• Meals on Wheels - (831) 375-4454 Monterey area, (831) 464-3180 Santa Cruz area.
• MST Rides Program - Curb to Curb services for individuals with disabilities who cannot use the regularly scheduled bus services- Monterey (831) 373-1393
• National Alliance for Caregiving
• National Association of Professional geriatric Care Managers
• Ombudsman for Long-Term Care – Free services that protect the rights of residents in Residential Care Facilities and Skilled Nursing Facilities. They also provide a list of RCFE’s and SNF’s in Monterey and Santa Cruz (831) 333-1300 Monterey area, (831) 429-1913 Santa Cruz area

Eldercare and Home Care Glossary