You should remember that living with someone who has Parkinson’s is not something you may be prepared for. That is why you should choose someone to help you with the process, which is important because you cannot be available all the time.
As soon as you click here, you can learn more about home health care. The main idea is creating a team of people who will assist your loved ones besides yourself, which is the process that will help you reach the desired goal. Parkinson’s is problematic because people who live with it may not be prepared for the deterioration.
If you are caring for a loved one at home or want to get professional help, we recommend you read our tips that will help you throughout the process.
Daily Routine
You should remember that Parkinson’s patients tend to experience specific days that can feel on and off, depending on numerous factors. In these moments, symptoms may increase, while in others, they can reduce to a minimum. That is why you should ensure your loved one has a structured daily routine in place.
That way, a caregiver or you can help them complete daily tasks such as feeding, bathing, moving or writing, which is vital to remember. If you wish to do it, we recommend you to pick a time to talk with them about what they would want to accomplish each day, which will help you create a reliable schedule. Remember to create reminders and alerts.
The most important things to include within the daily routine include waking up and sleeping, light exercise, medication reminders, frequent small meals, personal hygiene, and mentally stimulating activities.
The main idea is to ensure your loved one is involved in the process of planning a daily schedule, while you should prepare to be flexible and make changes as time goes by. For instance, you can add extra love and care to daily routines to ensure your loved ones are comfortable, healthy and well cared for, no matter whether you are here or professional caregiver.
When you choose Parkinson’s disease in-home care, you can modify and adapt the changes based on specific preferences. Changes depend on condition progression, because after a while, disease will become more severe. Therefore, you should consider a few things that will help you tweak the process.
Take time when helping your loved one especially going out of bed, because fast changes and sudden moments can affect blood pressure and lead to lightheadedness. When it comes to sleeping, they should be propped by at least thirty degrees using an adjustable bed and pillows.
Besides, you can make personal hygiene and grooming simple by getting an electric toothbrush, a shaver, and something that will help with stiff hands and inability to move them freely and properly.
It is vital to change the household by adding anti-slip bath mats and avoid bathtubs, install a grab bar to prevent falls and use shower stool. Another important consideration is to provide a bathrobe to make drying off simpler and easier after showers and bathing.
You can replace buttons on clothes with elastic waistbands to ensure the process is much simpler for them to dress without help. It is much better to keep them engaged, because that will slow the progression.
Medication Management
You should talk with your family member about medications they use, because that will help you create a reliable schedule. Ensure that everything is simple to find where the dosage is labeled or color-coded, which increases the efficiency and prevents missteps.
That way, when your loved one requires the dose, they will know where to look without having to ask you each time. We recommend you to find pillboxes, which will help you prepare for the process, meaning you can do it beforehand.
At the same time, you should prepare yourself when speaking to the doctor for identifying side effects and risks such as fainting spells, low blood pressure, sleep attacks, swelling and many more. They should undergo regular and simple exercises such as rotating ankles up and down and pumping the fists to regulate blood pressure.
The last fast is to ensure you write everything down, which should include potential side effects and observations after a specific period. This information can be interesting in the end.
Physical Activity
It is vital to remember that exercise is an essential form of medicine because it can help you bring targeted benefits such as rigid muscles, tremor, constipation and slow movement. Besides, they can improve flexibility, balance, thinking processes and mood.
Enter this guide: https://www.va.gov/geriatrics/pages/Homemaker_and_Home_Health_Aide_Care.asp to learn more about homecare.
Physical activity can come in the form of recreation or daily routine assignments. For instance, straightforward, home-based activities can keep your loved ones active in early stages. We are talking about cycling, yoga or light chores around the household.
Even in the mid-stages, you should undergo physical therapy under supervision, which is why you should include professional home care for the process.
