What You Should Know about National Kidney Month

March is National Kidney Month. As a family caregiver this is the ideal opportunity for you to learn more about kidney disease and kidney failure, and how you can give your aging loved one the proper care to protect their kidney health and help them to manage these diseases if they do occur in their later years. By educating yourself and your aging parent about these conditions you can better identify risk factors that they have, tailor their care toward improved health, and monitor their condition to ensure that they get the care and attention that they need as they age in place.

Some things that you should know about National Kidney Month include:

• Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death throughout the United States
• Approximately 31 million people throughout the United States are currently living with chronic kidney disease
• This number accounts for 10 percent of the total adult population of the nation
• Approximately 9 out of 10 people who are suffering from moderately decreased kidney function, known as stage 3 chronic kidney disease, do not know that they have it
• Women are more likely to develop chronic kidney disease
• Men are approximately 50 percent more likely to have their chronic kidney disease worsen into kidney failure than women
• Blacks are at four times greater risk for experiencing kidney failure than whites
• Native Americans are at 1.5 times greater risk for experiencing kidney failure than whites
• Asians are 1.4 times greater risk for experiencing kidney failure than whites
• Hispanics are approximately 1.5 times more likely to experience kidney failure than those of non-Hispanic descent
• Diabetes causes 44 percent of all new cases of kidney failure
• Approximately 40 percent of those who are living with diabetes will experience kidney failure
• High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure, causing 28.4 percent of all new cases of the disease

If your aging parent has recently been diagnosed with kidney disease or kidney failure, or is at increased risk of suffering such issues, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting senior care for them. A senior home care services provider can be with your elderly loved one on a customized schedule that is tailored specifically for your parent’s needs, challenges, and limitations, but also the amount and type of care that you give them. This ensures that their needs are addressed while also keeping you at the forefront of their care routine. This care provider will evaluate your loved one’s needs as well as their personality, preferences, and goals so that they are able to design a highly personalized set of care, support, and assistance services that will help them to manage their condition while also living the quality of life that they desire and deserve. If they have risk factors that increase the chances that they will develop kidney disease or experience kidney failure, this senior care provider can help them to understand these risks and offer reminders and support to encourage compliance with the guidelines, recommendations, and prescriptions set forth by their doctor so that they can reduce their risk and remain healthier as they age in place.

Source
http://www.kidneyfund.org/assets/pdf/kidney-disease-statistics.pdf
https://www.kidney.org/content/national-kidney-month

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in South Plainfield, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care of New Brunswick today. Call (732) 607-8870.