Smoking Rate Dips—Why Your Parent Should Quit, Too

A recent report from the U.S. government offers some good news about smoking rates. They are lower than ever! That’s fantastic news since smoking can cause all kinds of health problems. If your elderly parent is still a smoker, there are many reasons to quit and it’s never too late.

Elder Care in Alexandria VA: Smoking Rate Dips

Report on Smoking Rates Reveals Good News and Bad

The government started tracking smoking rates in 1965. The recent report shows that 2017 had the lowest number of smokers since then. That’s definitely good news but some doctors say it may be a little deceptive.

According to WebMD, Dr. Adam Lackey, chief thoracic surgeon at Staten Island University Hospital, believes that education about smoking is one reasons that the rates have dropped. However, he says the drop may also be because more people are vaping instead of smoking.

Vaping is often marketed as a safer alternative to smoking. While it’s true that vaping involves less tar and soot, it still involves breathing chemicals in. And, since there is nicotine in vaping products, it is still addictive.

Reasons Your Parent Should Quit

No matter your parent’s age, there are still good reasons to quit smoking. In fact, when your parent quits smoking, they’ll get health benefits within 20 minutes.

The website smokefree.gov says that when people quit smoking, they can expect the following results:

• Lower heart rate and blood pressure in just 20 minutes.
• Normal levels of carbon monoxide in the blood within 12 hours.
• Heart attack risk starts to drop, and lung function improves in 3 months or less.
• Risk of coronary heart disease reduces by 50 percent one year after quitting.
• Risk of some kinds of cancer drops by half within 2 to 5 years.
• Stroke risk becomes the same as a nonsmoker’s risk in 2 to 5 years.
• If your parent needs a little more convincing, here are some reasons to quit that they may not have thought of:
• Smoking increases the risk of developing autoimmune diseases like lupus.
• People who smoke are more likely to suffer from age-related macular degeneration, an eye condition that can lead to blindness.
• Smokers are more likely to snore.
• Smoking has been linked to acid reflux.

When your parent makes the decision to quit smoking, home care can help. Home care providers can offer support and encouragement. They can also help the older adult to follow the doctor’s advice for smoking cessation, including reminding them to take medications. Also, having a home care provider present who knows they are trying to quit may make it less likely that they will smoke.

Are you or a loved-one considering hiring Elder Care in Alexandria, VA?  Please call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. Contact: 703-273-8818

Sources
Webmd.com/us-smoking-rate
Smokefree.gov
Webmd.com/10-overlooked-reasons

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Michelle DeFilippis

I graduated with a BS degree and had been selling medical equipment to hospitals, clinics and technicians. More recently, a family member was diagnosed with dementia and we, as a family, realized we were not prepared t care for her. We were thrown into that whirlpool of hospital stays, 24/7 live-in care, skilled care, caring for mom ourselves and finally, now daily home care. This was such a stressful time that I started thinking there had to be other people, other families as overwhelmed and unprepared as we were.

Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.

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