Kidney Health and British Columbia’s Seniors

Senior Health and Wellbeing  |  March 19, 2025

What Every Senior in North and West Vancouver, BC, Needs to Know About Maintaining Kidney Health 

While it’s common for seniors to prioritize maintaining the health of their heart and brain as they age, it’s crucial to emphasize that kidney health is just as essential for overall well-being. 

Neglecting kidney health can lead to serious complications, including kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, and bone disorders. Therefore, seniors must give their kidney health the same attention and care they afford to their heart and brain.

FAST FACT: According to the Kidney Foundation of Canada, an estimated 2.6 million Canadians have kidney disease, or are at risk.

Senior Kidney Health: What Do the Kidneys Do?

Located to the left and right of the spine, below the rib cage, these bean-shaped organs may not always be top of mind, but the importance of their roles in supporting the body’s equilibrium cannot be overstated. In addition to filtering the blood and removing waste and excess water from the body, the kidneys also control blood pressure, produce essential hormones, and balance pH levels.

Chronic Kidney Disease in Seniors

As we age, it can be difficult for the kidneys to function optimally.

Additionally, certain conditions and factors—such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity—can negatively affect kidney function, potentially resulting in chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is generally defined as the loss in kidney function over an extended period of time. 

Symptoms do not usually manifest until the disease is in an advanced stage, but they include:

• Increased fatigue
• Constant thirst
• Shortness of breath
• Increased frequency of urination
• Skin rashes
• Difficulty managing diabetes or high blood pressure

As these symptoms are subtle and can apply to any number of other conditions, the only way to know if you have kidney disease is through blood and urine tests. If CKD goes unchecked, not only do wastes continually collect in the body, but it may even lead to kidney failure – meaning that the kidneys’ functionality has been reduced to less than 15%.

Should kidney failure come into play, there are treatment options available, including dialysis or a kidney transplant. However, seniors do not have to wait for things to get worse before they can get better. Risk reduction, through adjustments in diet and lifestyle and diligent monitoring, can make a big impact on kidney health (and overall well-being). Here are some recommendations for seniors age 65 or older.

Ways to Support Healthy Kidneys in Canada’s Seniors

Kidney-Healthy Diet for Seniors

• Drink plenty of water. As a general rule of thumb, stick to eight 8-ounce glasses (or about 2 liters) throughout the course of the day.
• Consume foods low in salt, sugar, and fat – and look for labels that contain the words “whole grains”
• Purchase fresh produce, instead of their canned or processed counterparts.
• Discuss kidney-friendly diets, and any diet change in general, with a physician or dietician.

Healthy Lifestyle for Seniors

• Do not smoke, or take steps to quit smoking.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Incorporate at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity into your daily schedule. Be sure to consult a doctor or physician before beginning any exercise regimen.
• Maintain a healthy weight, and lose weight if you are currently overweight.

Senior Kidney Health Monitoring

• Rigorously manage blood sugar levels, especially if you have diabetes. Be sure to abide by your doctor’s instructions in regard to insulin and blood sugar monitoring.
• Keep blood pressure in check. Talk to your doctor about options for using anti-hypertensive drugs, designed to lower blood pressure, such as ACE inhibitors or angiotensin blockers.
• Get an annual screening, especially if you have any of the risk factors associated with kidney disease.

Senior Kidney Disease Is Not Inevitable

Seniors may feel they do not have a choice when it comes to the health of their kidneys. While it is true that kidney functionality does naturally diminish over time due to the decrease in kidney tissue and filtering units, advanced age does not solely trigger kidney disease. Encourage your senior loved ones to incorporate the tips listed above to help reduce the risk of kidney disease and other health conditions.

Comfort Keepers® Can Help

Our caregivers can help establish a daily routine and encourage your loved one to make healthy choices – to support not only the health of their kidneys but also their overall well-being. Call your local office today to find out about how our in-home care services can help your aging loved one today.

The Best Senior Home Assistance Care in North and West Vancouver is Comfort Keepers®

Our senior home care agency offers in-home care focusing on aging in place. Our services include dementia care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, and palliative care. Comfort Keepers can assist seniors with living transition services, personal care, companionship care, and more! 

Quality and Accredited Elderly Care: Happier, Healthier, and at Home with 24/7 Senior Care Opportunities!

Do you need a home care solution for yourself or a loved one? Have you been thinking about retirement homes and their alternatives as a solution? Comfort Keepers® enables seniors to maintain happy, healthy lives in the comfort of their own homes. In-home care services are available in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, and the surrounding areas.

Comfort Keepers® is a Senior Care Agency That Can Make a Difference with Interactive Caregiving™

Our in-home caregivers ensure our senior clients have the best quality of life. The Interactive Caregiving™ program ensures that a senior’s safety, nutrition, mental well-being, and everyday needs are met. This program brings joy and good health to each client’s home.

Comfort Keepers® North Vancouver and West Vancouver Can Help with In-Home Elderly Care Services!

If you are concerned about the health and well-being of a loved one we can help! Comfort Keepers offers 24-hour care and delivers top-quality and compassionate care for seniors.  We are dedicated to safety technology solutions that foster independence and enhance well-being.

Locally Owned and Operated Home Health Care Agency

Our care centers around companionship for seniors. Empathetic care originates from the soul and allows us to meet our client’s requirements. The seasoned in-home caregivers employed by Comfort Keepers are carefully chosen based on their empathetic qualities.  

Contact the Comfort Keepers® North Vancouver and West Vancouver office at (604) 998-8806 to learn more about our unique in-home care solutions for seniors.

Comfort Keepers is an Accredited Senior Care Agency in North and West Vancouver, BC

Accreditation is a rigorous process that involves industry experts evaluating an organization’s processes, policies, and procedures. Comfort Keepers® North and West Vancouver has been awarded Exemplary Standing by Accreditation Canada. This achievement recognizes that Comfort Keepers® meets or exceeds the stringent quality standards for Home Care companies established by Accreditation Canada. 

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References:

• NIHSeniorHealth. “Kidney Disease” Web. 2016.
• Better Health Channel. “Kidneys – Age-Related Problems” Web. 2016.
• A Place for Mom. “The Connection between Diet and Kidney Damage” by Sarah Stevenson. Web. 2014.
• Kidney Foundation of Canada.  “Facing the Facts”.  Web 2012.

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