Brookdale Seeks 10,000 Heart to Hearts Raises Awareness Of Increased Risk Of Heart Disease In Senior Women

This is a sponsored post. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

I used to smoke cigarettes. I quit about ten years ago when I thought that I was having a heart attack. Fortunately I wasn’t. My Dad did, less than two yeas ago. I was always a little wary after I quit. But my Dad having a heart attack really drove home for me how common heart disease is, and what a real danger it is. What I didn’t know then, but know now, is that heart disease is more deadly then cancer.
“Cardiac disease kills more women than all cancers combined,” said Brookdale chief medical officer Kevin O’Neil, M.D., F.A.C.P. “On average, women develop heart disease 10 years later than men, with their first heart attack occurring at age 70.”
By their 70s, most women have hypertension and aging makes it harder to cope with cardiac disease’s impact.
“Three-quarters of older women who survive heart attacks can’t resume their normal lives,” said Dr. O’Neil. “However, healthy habits can dramatically reduce risk.” He noted a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology shows lifestyle changes can decrease the likelihood of female heart disease by 90%.
Those are big, scary numbers. You would think that with big, scary numbers like that everyone would know this information. But they don’t. Brookdale Senior Living wants to do something about that.
Brookdale is the leading operator of senior living communities throughout the United States. They currently operate independent living, assisted living, and dementia-care communities and continuing care retirement centers, with more than 1,150 communities in 46 states. They also offer a range of outpatient therapy, home health, personalized living and hospice services through their ancillary services programs.
As a part of their ongoing commitment to providing the highest quality service and care Brookdale has launched the 10,000 Heart to Hearts campaign. As a part of this campaign Brookdale senior living community professionals will be calling on senior women at home nationwide to personally alert women 65 and over to their increased risk and provide resources to fight it. The company hopes to reach 10,000 older women through this campaign. During these in-home visits the Brookdale professionals will explain the risk, check blood pressure, discuss healthier lifestyles, provide Brookdale’s heart-healthy cookbook and food, and connect them with resources. There is no charge for the visits, which will include women with Alzheimer’s.
To schedule a visit, contact the nearest Brookdale community, go to brookdale.com or call toll-free 866-869-7711. Older women and others concerned about heart disease are invited to ask questions of Brookdale chief medical officer Dr. O’Neil in a free webinar at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT/12:30 p.m. PT., Feb. 18, register here.