Why is It Important to Promote Kidney Awareness for Memory Care Residents?

When it comes to staying healthy as people age, thinking of ways to take care of our kidneys probably isn’t at the top of the list. But it should be – especially for seniors who want to reduce the risk or slow the progress of cognitive decline. Here’s why it is important to promote kidney awareness for memory care residents.

Our kidneys are amazing organs that perform a lot of important functions that are essential to health and wellbeing, including:

• Filtering and Removing Waste – Think of your kidneys like filters for your blood: Just like filters clean the air by getting rid of dust particles, your kidneys clean your blood by removing excess water and salts, as well as toxins and waste products like ammonia, uric acid, urea, creatine, creatinine, and amino acids. This helps balance electrolytes, prevents an accumulation of harmful substances, and regulates blood pressure. All this cuts down on the risk of kidney damage, cardiovascular diseases, and other life-shortening medical conditions.
  


• Regulating Hormones – Another way your kidneys regulate blood pressure is by producing hormones that help keep it in a healthy range. They also produce a hormone called erythropoietin that stimulates the production of red blood cells. In addition, they contribute to bone health. When your kidneys aren’t working as they should, it can lead to hypertension which is a serious risk factor for strokes, heart attacks, heart disease, and other health issues.
  


• Balancing Acids and Bases – Kidneys also help modulate your body’s pH balance by balancing the amounts of acids and bases which helps a variety of systems operate at peak efficiency.
  

The importance of taking care of your kidneys increases as you get older. Dangers to seniors who develop kidney disease also may extend to the development or worsening of cognitive decline. According to a study led by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, older chronic kidney disease patients who were on dialysis had a much greater risk of being diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s than those who weren’t.

With that in mind, what can seniors, especially those in memory care, do to reduce their risk of getting chronic kidney disease? For those already experiencing chronic disease, the good news is there are medications that can reduce the amount of protein in the urine which seems to be linked to cognitive decline.

Aside from that, there a plenty of things seniors in and out of memory care can do to protect, preserve, and improve kidney and cognitive health, including:

• Eating Healthy – That means choosing to eat fresh fruits and vegetables (frozen is fine!), low-fat or fat-free milk and dairy products. Choose whole grains when it comes to bread and other baked goods as well as add brown rice, oatmeal, and whole grain corn. And try to cut back on salt by using other spices to flavor your food.
  
  Your goal should be to consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day. Reducing the amount of sugar in your diet is also important: Less than 10% of your daily calories should come from added sugars. And avoid fats as much as possible.
  


• Exercising – There are 24 hours in every day. Set aside at least 30 minutes to do some kind of physical activity, which is essential in keeping your kidneys and entire body healthy. Going out for a walk with a friend or family member, taking an exercise class at your senior living community, or simply doing seated yoga in your room can make a difference.
  


• Watching Your Weight – It’s easy for a few extra pounds to turn into too many for a healthy weight. Step on that scale every few days or encourage your loved one in memory care to do so in order to prevent unhealthy weight gain.
  


• Getting Enough Sleep – Enjoying 7 to 8 hours of restful sleep is ideal for restoring your energy and keeping your kidneys healthy.
  


• Managing Stress – Among other harmful effects, stress raises blood pressure. Reducing it by spending time in prayer or meditation, doing tai chi, or simply setting aside time to lose yourself in a book or audio tape can be a pleasure as well as having significant health benefits.
  


• Quitting Smoking – Doing this one thing has an incredibly wide range of health benefits for your heart, lungs, and your kidneys. Quitting can be tough, but there is help available at hotlines like 1-800-QUITNOW. You can also talk to your doctor about personalized smoking cessation strategies.
  


• Drinking Less Alcohol – Enjoying too many cocktails or glasses of wine or beer can be hard on your kidneys and health by raising blood pressure and causing you to gain weight. Women should try to limit alcohol to 1 drink a day. Men should have a maximum of just 2.
  


• Managing Chronic Conditions – Monitoring and making sure to take your medications for health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure are among the best ways to protect against kidney damage that can worsen memory problems.
  

Promoting kidney awareness for memory care patients can help slow the progress of cognitive decline and help them live longer, healthier lives.

MorningStar Senior Living — Memory Care Community

If your loved one lives far from family and friends, it could be time to move into a memory care community near their adult children where they’ll have the companionship of fellow seniors and a compassionate service team. At MorningStar Senior Living, a 24/7 team is dedicated to offering care and hospitality services that meet each resident’s social, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs.