Augusta is the perfect place to start and grow your family, with its low housing costs and cozy flower-filled scenery. However, a staggering 21% of people in Richmond County and 15% in Georgia report poor or fair health. With a city as focused on healthcare as Augusta, this is concerning.
According to research, heart disease is the leading cause of death in Georgia. Coronary heart disease is the most common form of it, and it is not only caused by factors such as high blood LDL cholesterol and diabetes but it can also be transferred genetically down the family line.
These factors can lead to several kinds of emergencies involving the cardiovascular system, the most serious of which is sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which is why getting family CPR training in Augusta is paramount.
Why Family CPR Training?
Most sudden cardiac arrests in the US (around 350,000 annually) happen outside-of-hospital (OHCA). Of those, 73.4% happen in the home, 16.3% in public settings, and 10.3% in nursing homes. Regrettably, only 40% of those receive appropriate help before first responders arrive on the scene.
Add to this the fact that a history of heart complications in the family impacts both current and future generations. All this should make family members SCA aware and willing to get CPR-trained to assist or be assisted should one such crisis occur.
Heart Disease is a Generational Issue
Research shows that if you have a male family member who has been diagnosed with any form of cardiovascular disease before the age of 55 (or before the age of 65 for a female family member), the risk of you having it is higher.
With a family history of heart disease, it is imperative to check your and your loved ones’ heart health regularly and for the whole family to undergo CPR training. Remember, other than preparing you for the worst-case scenario, CPR training involves pre-planning as well, such as noticing the signs and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest before they even happen.
CPR Training Helps Manage Emergencies Better
During a sudden cardiac arrest, it is crucial to remain calm and cool-headed. While the basics of CPR are available to learn even from videos on the internet, AHA guidelines state that higher quality CPR significantly impacts both SCA survival odds and post-SCA recovery.
CPR certification increases the likelihood that you’ll act accordingly and swiftly in such urgent situations. This not only improves the chances of a good outcome but also offers assurance for the rest of the household. Family CPR training reduces anxiety even further, with more family members being aware and acquainted with the CPR method.
A Fast Response
Timing is crucial when it comes to emergencies such as sudden cardiac arrest. The first step in the chain of survival is calling 911, which is fast followed by attempting CPR on the victim. A swift response can be the difference between life and death, and family CPR training helps immensely by teaching you and your family about the signs and symptoms before a cardiac arrest even happens.
However, it is crucial to eventually get the victim to a healthcare facility when a cardiac arrest emergency happens. Unfortunately, EMT response time might vary, especially when it comes to Augusta – the second-biggest city in Georgia. This is why it’s essential to administer proper care while waiting for first responders and more advanced SCA treatment.
Family CPR training helps with providing this care, as every household member will be knowledgeable and able to help the victim appropriately until professional help arrives.
AED Training
One of the steps in the out-of-hospital chain of survival is defibrillation, and for good reason. It has been proven that defibrillation is the most potent way to administer care to an OHCA victim, and one way to do that is by having an AED in the home.
AED (automated external defibrillator), though usually found in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, must also be placed in schools, sports venues, malls, offices, and more. It is available on the market for personal use as well, the price ranging around $1500, and it makes for a good addition to the household in case of an emergency.
AEDs necessitate the appropriate training, however. Every state has different laws regarding AEDs, and the state of Georgia requires regular training, maintenance, and the appropriate notification when the AED has been installed.
Bridging Generations: Different Types of CPR
While pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is relatively rare, with approximately 3628 out of all OHCAs involving people younger than 18, a study shows that the survival rate in these cases is poor, with only a 5.4% chance. The study concludes that recent advancements in cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques and an increased focus on bystander CPR awareness have improved those chances in recent years.
There are differences in how CPR is performed in children and infants as opposed to adults that need to be considered when a family faces an emergency such as pediatric cardiac arrest.
Child CPR
Pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation is very similar to adult CPR, but with some differences. It is essential to be mindful of the depth of the chest compressions, and one particular area the rescuer needs to be most careful about is the airway.
A child’s airway is a lot more delicate than an adult’s, so it’s important not to tilt the head too far back when giving rescue breaths. If an AED is available, pediatric settings and pads need to be applied before attempting the procedure.
Infant CPR
Infant CPR requires an even more careful touch. While in both child and adult CPR the compressions are applied with one’s palms, an infant’s body is extremely delicate, requiring two fingers placed on the lower half of the breastbone and gently pushing, the compression depth even lower.
An infant’s airways are also more delicate than a child’s, requiring only a tiny amount of air, just enough to raise the chest, puffed into the infant’s mouth and nose, without tilting their head back. The use of pediatric settings and pads for AEDs also applies to infant CPR as well.
Elderly People And CPR
Broken ribs are a common side injury of CPR, with over 70% of people who have had CPR performed on them reporting a mean of about 7.6 ribs per person. While this is a small price to pay for a life saved, people over the age of 80 are vulnerable to some risks involving broken bones.
It is a fact that human bones do not retain the same quality, strength, function, and healing factors as the body ages. This puts older adults at a disadvantage regarding CPR-related injuries. It is crucial to be mindful of this fact when performing CPR on an older person, as even a well-performed resuscitation procedure can lead to fractures.
Talking To Your Family About CPR Training
While you need to know CPR in order to help your family, what if you’re the one who might require assistance in the future? Discussing these matters with your loved ones could prove very useful, not only to yourself but to them as well.
Teaching children about CPR can be valuable for their development. Be it helping their siblings, parents, or grandparents, learning about CPR and other emergency practices can make them calmer and help them respond better to urgent situations they might encounter in the future, both inside and outside the home.
The Importance of Family CPR Training in Augusta: Final Thoughts
Family CPR training enhances the safety of your household since the best response time happens if the call is answered from within the house, in the form of a well-performed CPR before first responders arrive. While CPR is a valuable skill for you and your family, its usefulness multiplies as more people in a community know how to perform it.
With cardiovascular disease being common in Georgia, as well as a problem bridging generations, CPR training as a family can not only help strengthen relations within the household but can also help foster a culture of preparedness and familial cohesion during difficult situations.
Whether attending it on-site or scheduling a session at home, family CPR training in Augusta is easy and accessible. It helps you learn about the different types of CPR across generations, and it’s suitable for parents, grandparents, or any curious mind wanting to be well-prepared to save a life.