Heart bypass patient with arthritis

[Salty Bear]

Hi,

I am asking this question on behalf of my grandmother. She is 84 and over the last 3-4 years has undergone a triple heart bypass and a hip replacement. She still suffers with arthritis in her knees and other hip. Her breathing is also often laboured and she regularly has a cough.

She is around 12 stone and 5'4". She knows that losing weight would help her knees and breathing but it is very difficult for her to do this. She eats very little, she has a poached egg with 1 slice of plain toast in the morning, a salad or sandwich for lunch then usually something like a salad or meat and veg in the evening but all small portions. She rarely picks as she has little appetite.

What advice can you give to help her get more active?

Thanks so much

[Wendy Green]

Hi Salty Bear,

First of all I'm a little surprised that your grandmother weighs 12 stones when she appears to eat so little. I'm wondering if she's eating a little more than she realises? It might help if she keeps a food diary in which she records every thing she eats and drinks for one week. I think we're all guilty of eating more than we think and seeing it written down in black and white can help us to see where we could cut back.

I'm not sure how active your grandmother is, but I'd suggest that she tries to move around more in her everyday life. For example, doing one or two household chores each day counts as exercise, or walking to the local shops etc. Because she has arthritis in her knees and hip she needs to avoid strenuous exercise, as this could cause further joint damage and pain.

If your grandmother is unable to manage activities like these, perhaps she could try some gentle armchair exercises such as those outlined on the Age UK website? http://www.ageuk.org.uk/documents/en-gb ... ?dtrk=true

Age UK is also currently running a project called Fit as a Fiddle which offers activities for people aged 50yrs to 90yrs plus. If you look on the Age UK website you'll find details of your regional activity coordinator. Arthritis Care also offers a booklet on exercise for people with arthritis - you can download it here http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/Livingw ... ingactive/

Whatever activity she chooses to do, she needs to take care not to overdo things. If she finds she's in pain an hour or two after an activity, it's likely she's done too much and needs to do less next time.

I do hope this has given you and your grandmother some ideas on how she can lose weight and become more active - and hopefully feel better as a result.

[Salty Bear]

Thank you for your reply. She definitely doesn't over eat. I spend quite a lot of time with her and it worries most of the family how little she manages to eat some days. I will suggest a food diary to her though, thank you.

She cannot manage to do much housework although she cooks and washes up for herself everyday. She is keen on gardening but half an hour in the garden will destroy her for the rest of the day so she can only manage to do this a couple of times a week. She tries to walk around the supermarket a couple of times a week but again this leaves her shattered. We have had to get her a mobility scooter for going to larger towns or if she is out for the day. She is unable to do anything without the use of 2 walking sticks because of the pain.

The Age UK link looks good though, thanks, i will pass the info along to her.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[mark]

Hi Salty Bear - strange name but cool all the same

I would urge you to sign up to the free British Heart Foundation magazine - Heart Matters - This publication has good links, advice and it current and correct. links are below. Its free!

http://www.bhf.org.uk/

http://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/how- ... tters.aspx

The links posted previously are also good for your information.

I think less is more with this situation. Finding a good balance between her moving enough and not being to exhausted. I have some ladies in their 80s who have similar condition as stated her and they come to my Aqua Aerobics and other classes! If she could manage a trip to the pool it may be worth while, if so call ahead and ask for the pool temp. as a cool pool may cause her more pain than pleasure. 30 degrees+ would be a warmish pool. but personal preference needs to taken into account. But again it depends weather you feel she would be ok to do this or not.

What you want to avoid is wearing her out. Arm chair exercises, short periods of time, and it may be as little as some basic stretches are enough to get her puffed out. Gentle pilates exercises will also be worth while too (these can be done from a chair, standing or laying down) deep breathing exericses will be good to do also (these are included with pilates) Alan herdman is the Pilates director for Champneys Health Resorts and the person i qualified through.

http://www.alanherdmanpilates.co.uk/

http://www.alanherdmanpilates.co.uk/read.html

Is it possible she could do some plant potting while sat down at a table in the garden? or have a stool to rest on while pruning etc. I would try to think more of reducing risk of harm and use this to help you keep her mobile and enjoying life.

I hope this helps and if you need any more advice you know where we are