It can be difficult to provide care for a loved one who has Parkinson disease, especially if the condition worsens. Parkinson’s disease caregivers advise performing the following: Prepare yourself, look after yourself, seek assistance (don't attempt to handle everything yourself), work to retain a positive relationship with your loved one, and encourage caring for Parkinson patients at home to keep active.
Education is the first step in preparing for caring. Start by reading this fact sheet. You can find more resources in this fact sheet's Resources section. Early Parkinson's disease (PD) typically calls for more emotional assistance than practical care.
Care at Home for Parkinson's Patients
Managing and caring for Parkinson patient at home can cause a trifecta of doubt, uncertainty, and terror. Nobody is fully sure what causes neurodegenerative brain disorders, which have an impact on how well muscles move and are controlled. Although there is currently no cure, organizations like the Parkinson's disease caregiver are working to promote medical and therapeutic advancements. We are here to support you each step of the way up until a cure is found.
How to Support a Parkinson's Patient's Mobility
"Freezing" is a hallmark Parkinson's symptom. This occurs when a person is moving, such as when they are walking, and suddenly feels extremely rigid and loses practically all movement, as if their feet are glued to the ground. When this occurs, prompting might assist in "unsticking" your loved one. Encourage them to rock very slowly and softly from side to side to assist them get going again. You could also ask them to imagine that they are walking over an imaginary line or object on the floor. If your loved one frequently freezes, think about investing in a specialized mobility aid with a laser pointer, such as a walker or rollator. If your loved one frequently freezes, think about investing in a specialized mobility aid with a laser pointer, such as a walker or rollator. When they start to freeze, they can simply push a button to project a laser line on the ground, which they may use as a visual cue to keep moving.
Patients with Parkinson's disease who receive massage therapy can reduce stress as well as tremors, rigidity, spasms, and muscle cramps. The use of both menthol pain reliever gel and heating pads at the same time can only worsen tight joints. Although first challenging, exercise is extremely useful for those with Parkinson's disease. Parkinson’s help at home can lessen tremors and maintain strong, flexible hands and fingers, encourage your loved one to perform hand exercises throughout the day, such as squeezing a rubber ball for brief periods of time. Muscles, tendons, and joints can be kept as strong as possible by taking even brief daily walks and engaging in a basic workout regimen.
Activities of Daily Living for Parkinson's Patients: Simplifying
For someone with Parkinson's, many areas of daily life that we take for granted become more and more challenging. In the middle and later phases of the illness, movement symptoms such as weakness, tremor, rigidity, balance issues, and bradykinesia (slowness of movement) become more evident. PD medications, including carbidopa-levodopa, dopamine agonists, MAO B inhibitors, and anticholinergics, can also cause irritating side effects that interfere with everyday activities, such as dyskinesia (involuntary muscle movement), lightheadedness, drowsiness, hallucinations, and confusion. Fortunately, there are aids and modifications that can provide parkinsons help at home maintain their standard of living and make it simpler for family caregivers to care for someone with Parkinson's.
Parkinson's and Coping with Cognitive Changes
In the middle and late phases of Parkinson's disease, cognitive impairment and behavioural abnormalities frequently take place. When a loved one starts to exhibit changes in memory and thinking, parkinson’s disease caregivers must be especially understanding and adaptable. Planning, problem-solving, multitasking, and spatial reasoning issues in PD patients can make daily tasks difficult, impossible, or even dangerous. While promoting independence, it's crucial to keep your attention on making sure they're secure.
Communication skills of a loved one may be impacted by changes in their brain. A progressive motor speech disorder affects about 89 percent of persons who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. A person with PD may lose their voice or become hoarse, lose their ability to form words, or develop slurred speech. An elderly person can preserve their social confidence and communication abilities by working with a speech therapist and Parkinson's help at home. Continue to promote open communication, reduce interruptions, and give vocal requests and responses more time.
Parkinson's Disease with Putting On Clothes
As their motor skills and strength deteriorate, dressing someone with Parkinson's disease may become a time- and labor-intensive activity. Dressing can sometimes be annoying and difficult due to muscle stiffness and painful muscle cramps (known as dystonia). When possible, use Velcro or magnets closures in place of buttons or zippers. Choose loose-fitting attire because it is simpler and more pleasant to put on and take off. Parkinson’s help at home makes the patient put on shoes while seated, and use an extra-long shoehorn. Going slowly and allotting enough time for this everyday action of living is one of the most crucial things for a parkinson’s disease caregiver to keep in mind when assisting with dressing (ADL).
How to Support a Parkinson's Patient to Thrive
Parkinson's disease symptoms can significantly affect a senior's physical, mental, and social capacities, but family carers can significantly improve their quality of life. A Parkinson's disease caregiver may be able to foresee changing needs and capacities and address problems before they have a detrimental impact on a loved one by learning about PD and making advance plans. Caring for Parkinson's patients at home allows them to stay in their own home longer and experience a positive influence on their overall quality of life if proactive measures are taken to protect their safety, maintain their independence, and maintain their functional abilities.
