You want to do everything possible to assist your Parkinson’s disease-affected loved one. But, in practice, what does that imply?
Most of us who aren’t natural caregivers may need to caring for Parkinson’s patients at home and some time to learn how to best support a spouse or partner dealing with a complex illness. Some ways how to be a better Parkinson’s caregiver.
-
Contents hide
Be Open and Honest with One Another
One pitfall some Parkinson’s caregiver pairings get into is having one person become the “nurse” while the other is relegated to the helpless patient. It is ineffective and can even be dangerous if the Parkinson’s caregiver assumes responsibilities that the person with Parkinson’s disease is completely capable of performing.
As a Parkinson’s caregiver, attempt to establish an open line of communication with your loved one to agree on when the loved one requires assistance.
-
Parkinson’s caregiverSelf-Education
Look for educational materials that will help you better comprehend the disease and how it will progress. You might begin by contacting NGOs such as the National Parkinson Foundation. If your loved one is being treated for Parkinson’s disease in the centre of excellence, and even in many other circumstances, you’ll have access to a library of literature.
Because Parkinson’s is a complex disease, getting accurate information is critical. What works for one person may not work for another. The national organizations are excellent resources for caring for Parkinson’s patients at home.
-
Attend all of your Doctor’s Appointments
Make a list of questions to ask and bring with you.
A calendar (paper or digital, whatever works!) is also helpful for keeping track of doctors and treatment appointments. You can also use a calendar to keep track of your drugs and any adverse effects.
-
Ensure that All Medications are Taken
Develop a tool you agree works to prevent making mistakes or having to pester or annoy your loved one, such as a smartphone reminder or a hard-to-miss wall calendar, to avoid making mistakes or having to bug or nag your loved ones one. It can make a difference in your lives and your lifestyles if you take your prescription regularly.
How do You Take Care of Parkinson’s Patients at Home?
Managing Parkinson’s disease development can include scepticism, perplexity, and terror. Nobody knows what causes neurodegenerative brain disease and how it affects muscle coordination and movement. At the same time, there is no cure, organizations such as the Parkinson’s Foundation work to enhance drug and treatment advances. You can do various things for Parkinson’s help at home for your loved ones until there’s a cure.
How to Make Your Home Parkinson’s-Friendly?
Caring for Parkinson’s patients at home requires specific changes to make them feel comfortable.
-
Overall Security
Parkinson’s caregivers ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are operating correctly; at least one should be installed on each home story. While this advice applies to any home, it’s especially critical if someone in the house is less mobile to have the earliest possible notice of fire, smoke, or hazardous gas. Space heaters and electric blankets are fire dangers, so avoid them.
-
Communication is Simple
Parkinson’s help at home means ensuring the person with Parkinson’s disease has access to a phone in the significant areas of the house. For persons with hand tremors, an adaptor with more oversized buttons that fits over the phone makes dialling easier. Those with a low speech level may benefit from a phone adaptor that amplifies their voice. It’s also a good idea to keep emergency numbers near the house phones and programmed into smartphones (police, fire, a neighbour’s number, physicians’ offices).
-
Adaptable Use Products
Even routine daily chores such as housework and self-care may become difficult as Parkinson’s disease advances. You can keep your independence by using assistive or adapted equipment. Inquire with a physical or occupational therapist about what you might require. Devices which might work for Parkinson’s help at home include the following:
- Pen grips that make writing more comfortable
- Reach-and-grab devices allow you to take up items without having to lean down.
- If necessary, a cane, walker, or wheelchair.
-
Living Spaces That Are Safer
Caring for Parkinson’s patients at home means giving support while walking and building handrails along walls, hallways, and stairwells. Rearrange furniture to make rooms feel less cramped and give you more room to move about. A low or very soft table is easier to get in and out of than chairs and couches with firm cushions, straight backs, and sturdy armrests.
-
Adapted Kitchen
Keep frequently used foods and beverages on easy-to-reach shelves in the pantry or refrigerator, and decant them into smaller, easier-to-handle containers — for example, a tiny milk pitcher rather than a cumbersome gallon jug. Items you regularly use, such as coffee mugs, should be kept on hooks rather than in hard-to-reach cupboards. Look for tools with easy-to-grip handles, such as forks and spoons, and a knife that works in a rocking rather than sawing action. Consider lowering a counter so that a person with Parkinson’s disease may reach kitchen goods from a chair or wheelchair.
-
Comfortable Sleeping
If you have problems turning over or getting in and out of bed, using slimmer, soft sheets and avoiding thick materials like flannel or heavy blankets is a low-tech option to aid yourself. A bed rail can help you get out of bed more easily. You can give Parkinson’s help at home by removing objects, loose rugs, and other things from the passage between the bed and the restroom.
-
Improved Bathroom
Check if your bath mats are secure (rubber-backed ones are best). Consider installing grab bars in the tub or shower and a shower chair if necessary. Shower stalls are more convenient to enter and exit than tub/shower combos. If you have a tub, consider replacing the doors with curtains to make getting in and out easier. Some particular door pulls make it easier for people with Parkinson’s disease who have problems gripping a standard knob to open and close doors.
