Smoking is a dangerous activity.Many people of an older generation continue to smoke despite the decline in smoking.Sharing the hard facts about the effects of smoking is the first step in getting your grandmother to quit.Sharing health benefits associated with quitting will remind her of the benefits of quitting, like financial savings and improved relationships.Work with your grandma to break the habit.
Step 1: Tell your grandma that tobacco causes cancer.
Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer brought on by smoking, but smokers also have an increased risk for cancer of the throat, bladder, stomach, colon, rectum, and cervix.Chemicals found in cigarettes are known to cause cancer.This information will stop your grandmother from smoking.Some symptoms of cancer are easy to identify.If your grandma has any of the following symptoms, she may have lung cancer.The majority of lung cancer cases occur in smokers.
Step 2: Smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases include diseases affecting the heart, veins, and blood vessels.Smoking increases your grandmother's risk of heart disease by up to four times.Her risk of stroke increases by two to four times.Ex-smokers experience a decline in their risk of a heart attack after a year without cigarettes.It takes two to five years after quitting for the risk of stroke to return to its baseline level.
Step 3: Explain how smoking damages the lungs.
Smoking causesCOPD.Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are negative health conditions associated with COPD.Smoking can cause asthma attacks.
Step 4: Inform your grandma of other health risks.
There are a lot of negative health conditions associated with smoking.Smoking can cause the painful swelling of joints in the hands and feet.Smoking can lead to gum disease and tooth loss.The more she smokes, the more likely she is to have cataracts, a common symptom of aging.Smoking can lead to a higher chance of broken bones, so your grandma might be interested to learn.People who quit smoking often report lower levels of stress and an improved mood.You should blow your grandma's mind.Tell her that smoking causes more deaths than HIV, illegal drug and alcohol abuse, car accidents, and gun deaths combined.Tell your grandma that her family wants her to live a long and healthy life.When you say it, show some emotion.If you frown or tear up, it might help.The impact of smoking on your grandma's health is a cause of great concern to you and your family, so add, "We are all very worried about you because you smoke."You could say something like, "I want you to be there for my high school graduation, but I am afraid that you won't be if you keep smoking."
Step 5: Tell your grandma how smoking hurts her.
Secondhand smoke is as dangerous as smoking directly from a cigarette.Secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer, heart disease, and heart attacks.Over time, secondhand smoke can cause an overall decline in health and lead to symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing.Say to your grandma that you care about her and the rest of the family.If you don't live near your grandma but still want her, please tell her "I love you so much that I'm afraid I will get cancer or feel ill, too, simply because I cannot bear to be away from you."
Step 6: Tell your grandma to save money.
Elderly people are often on fixed budgets.The price of cigarettes continues to rise.She would spend $77,000 on cigarettes over the course of 10 years if a pack of cigarettes cost $21.Ask your grandma if she wants to have an extra $77,000 in 10 years.You can change the savings stat for your grandmother.If she smokes one pack every other day, do the math and figure out how much she would save over the course of a month, a year, and so on.
Step 7: Let your grandma know that her housing options could expand.
Many rental properties have no smoking policies.If your grandma smokes, she will not be able to rent these properties and could miss out on meeting great new neighbors and saving money.
Step 8: Explain the negative effects smoking has on her social life.
Many people don't like being near smokers because of the smell.The smell of smoke in her clothes and hair makes people not want to be near her.Maybe you and other relatives don't like visiting your grandma because the home is littered with ashtrays and constantly in a pall of smoke.Smoking is not allowed in many restaurants and other public places.
Step 9: Ask her if she wants to stop smoking.
She doesn't know how to do it.You can help her work on a plan to quit if she agrees.Continue sharing the dangers of smoking and the benefits of quitting if she doesn't want to.Your message will eventually get through.It's not an option to compromise if she quits smoking.Encourage her to cut back on the amount of cigarettes she smokes if she doesn't quit.
Step 10: You should set a quit date.
The first step in the plan is to decide when she wants to be smoke-free.The quit date should not be too far away.This will give your grandma time to prepare, but not so far off that she forgets to reduce her cigarette intake.She should mark it on her calendar.Encourage grandma to enter the date in her phone or laptop calendar if she's tech savvy.Reminders like, "Quit date is five days away" will keep her focused on reducing her cigarette intake until she actually quits.Don't let your grandma stop eating.The odds of quitting for good are much harder because this is very difficult.Suggest to your grandma that she quit on a day when she wouldn't be meeting people who also smoke.The temptation to light up will be low.
Step 11: Help grandma figure out why she quit.
You have presented many compelling reasons why she should not quit, but some of them will be more popular with grandma than others.The drive to save money on cigarettes is more important to her than the health benefits.She should clearly identify her reasons for quitting.She should write a statement that says "I want to quit" followed by a list of reasons.Suggest that she consult this document every day, especially when she is having a craving for cigarettes, to keep her committed to quitting.
Step 12: Smokers can identify smokingtriggers.
Smokingtriggers are the causes that lead people to smoke.They are not the same for each person.People might be inspired to smoke if they see others smoking.Other people might smoke if they are bored, stressed or lonely.If your grandma can figure out what her triggers are, she will be in a better position to avoid them or deal with them in more constructive ways.
Step 13: You can find ways to help your grandma fight cravings.
Simply quitting smoking isn't enough.Replacing a bad habit with a good one is something your grandma needs to learn.If your grandma smokes in social situations, tell her to spend more time with friends who don't smoke, or suggest to her friends that smoking is not allowed.Encourage your grandma to find other ways to relax if she smokes because it helps her relax.She can engage in light exercise like walking, biking, or visiting the spa.Nicotine gum or patches can help your grandma kick the smoking habit, as well as changing her habits.
Step 14: Help your grandma stop smoking.
Cigarettes and ashtrays should be discarded.She has clothes that stink of smoke.If you want to hide the smell of smoke, use aromatic candles, potpourri, or scented sprays.Allow the windows in the house and car to open.It will be easier for your grandma to stay away from tobacco and cigarettes if you erased all the evidence that she used to smoke.
Step 15: She decided to quit.
It takes tremendous strength and will to quit cigarettes.Encourage her not to smoke.Let her know of her progress.For each day she has not smoked, mark the calendar with an X.The number of days your grandma has been cigarette-free could be written on a dry-erase marker board.If she starts backsliding, remind her that she should not give up.Don't get angry with your grandma.She is trying hard.Show her how much she means to you.You can keep your grandma from smoking by engaging in other activities.You can go shopping, see a movie, or walk around the neighborhood with her.If you don't live near your grandmother, you can keep in touch with her by phone or email.
Step 16: Provide your grandma with more information.
In addition to the information about health impacts and practical benefits associated with quitting smoking, encourage your grandma to do some research of her own.Tips and step-by-step guides on quitting can be found on smokefree.gov.The National Cancer Institute has a smoking cessation line.It is more likely that grandma will want to quit if she has more information.