This American Heart Month, you may wonder what you can do to help your clients live healthier lives. The American Heart Association has a list of seven controllable heart health factors that every senior care provider should know about – and so should every senior. Statistics on heart disease can be scary to hear, and may discourage seniors who are actively trying to better their own health. They can also be upsetting for caregivers. Instead of focusing on these, however, it’s possible to look at what you can change – and The Simple 7 list is a great place to start.

The AHA recommends people get active, control their cholesterol, eat better, manage their blood pressure, lose weight, reduce blood sugar and stop smoking. If any of these factors apply to your clients, you can support them in making simple changes. While some of these are hard tasks to accomplish – quitting smoking and losing weight can both be very difficult, for example – they’re all possible. Your clients’ chances of success increase when you are with them every step of the way and with medical guidance to boot.