Kidney Health and Vancouver’s Seniors

Senior Health and Wellbeing  |  March 19, 2025

What Every Senior in Vancouver, BC, Needs to Know About Maintaining Optimal 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?

The kidneys, bean-shaped organs located below the rib cage, play a vital role in maintaining the body’s balance. They are responsible for filtering blood, removing waste and excess water, controlling blood pressure, producing hormones, and balancing 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 aged 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 concerning 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 Care Provider in Vancouver, BC, is Comfort Keepers®

Many families prefer Comfort Keepers® when arranging senior home care services for a loved one in or around Vancouver. 

If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones, we can help with 24-hour care. We provide home care services like respite care, overnight care, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care, personal care, and more! 

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver Can Help with Companion Care and Interactive Caregiving™

Comfort Keeper’s philosophy is to elevate the human spirit. Personal and empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our clients’ needs. Our caregivers will be there to ensure your loved one has a better quality of life. 

Trained caregivers provide our clients with personal home care to maintain the highest quality of life. Happy and healthy at home, our Interactive Caregiving™ delivers care that addresses safety, nutrition, and activities of daily living (ADLs).

Bring The Best Home Care Assistance for Seniors Right Where You Live with Comfort Keepers®

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver is proud to provide elder care in homes throughout Vancouver, keeping seniors safe in their homes. We provide home care for the seniors of Vancouver and the surrounding areas of Burnaby, Langley, Maple Ridge, and Richmond. Please call (604) 689-8609. 

Personal Care and Senior Homecare in Vancouver, BC

Learn more about our unique service, which offers personal care, companionship care, palliative care, and end-of-life care by contacting the Comfort Keepers® Vancouver office.

Accredited and Quality Respite Care Available 24/7 for British Columbia Families

Accreditation Canada has awarded Comfort Keepers® Vancouver with Exemplary Standing. This designation is only achieved after an organization’s policies, procedures, and processes undergo a thorough evaluation by industry experts. Comfort Keepers has met or exceeded the stringent quality standards for Home Care companies.

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.

Share This Post: