Was your elderly loved one diagnosed with Parkinson’s? If so, you may be struggling a lot. Your mind might be filled with questions that you have about the disease and what needs to be done for your elderly loved one. These thoughts and questions are all normal. There are no questions to small or big. The good news is that there are many Parkinson’s disease resources that have the answers you need. You can get personal care at home for your elderly loved one. Home care providers often know about this disease. You can talk to your loved one’s doctor, too. Learning more about the common questions people have regarding Parkinson’s disease can help, too.
How Do You Know My Elderly Loved One Has Parkinson’s Disease?
You might be unsure of whether or not your elderly loved one has Parkinson’s disease. Maybe, your elderly loved one is in denial. No matter what the case may be, you or your loved one want to know how the doctor determined they have this disease. Your elderly loved one’s doctor should talk to you about all the steps they took to come to this diagnosis. They should be able to explain to you, in laymen’s terms, what the test results mean, as well. If needed, you can have one of the personal care at home providers take your loved one to these appointments. They may know more about what questions to ask of the doctor.
How Long Will My Elderly Loved One Be Independent?
Your elderly loved one may be worried that they are losing their independence already. You might be wondering how long they can still do things on their own or stay home by themselves. This is a question that your elderly loved one’s doctor can answer. The truth is that with a proper treatment plan, many people with this disease can be mostly independent from the start of the disease until about 10-15 years later. However, each person may have a different progression of the disease. It is important to know that you can always get personal care at home for your elderly loved one. The senior care providers you hire can help with the tasks your elderly loved one needs assistance with.
How Will Parkinson’s Affect Your Elderly Loved One?
You may also want to know how this disease is going to affect your elderly loved one. Each stage is different and will impact daily tasks in various ways. Some things your elderly loved one will deal with include limited mobility, tremors, cognitive changes, discomfort, pain, and more. It is important that you have personal care at home services lined up for when your elderly loved one needs them.
Added Help from Personal Care at Home Aides
There are many questions that people with Parkinson’s and their family members often have about this disease. The more answers you have, the better help you can give to your elderly loved one. Don’t forget that you can always get personal care at home providers to help care for your elderly loved one when they need it.
Sources: https://www.parkinsons.va.gov/faq.asp