Parkinson's Live-in Care Service
If someone close to you has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, it may have come as shock both to them and to you, but the fact is they may not need any practical help at all at first. What they will need from you, though, is emotional support.
Gradually, though, they will inevitably come to rely on you more and more and, over time, this is likely to have a noticeable impact on your own health and wellbeing.
Whilst residential care may be an option at this point, both you and your loved one may be adamant you want to continue living together in your own home. But where will you find the expert round-the-clock care and support your loved one needs? The answer is your local specialist live-in care provider, Chesterford Homecare.
Our professionally trained care staff will provide your loved one with safe, effective and person-centred care based around their needs as an individual. Always mindful of their place as a guest in your home, they will provide care for your loved one in just the way you want them to – with sensitivity and discretion.
Helping someone close to you cope with Parkinson’s
How you respond to your loved one’s condition is likely to have a significant influence on how well they are able to cope. As far as possible you should try and:
- Encourage them to lead as active and normal a life as possible
- Allow them to so as much as possible for themselves, even if this means that a given task or activity may take a little longer
- Accept that their ability to do things will change from day to day and even from hour to hour
- Ask what help they would like you to give them if you see they are struggling
- Accept the situation if you sometimes get it wrong in helping them
It is also important that you develop your own sources of support for those times when you need to step away for a time.
Medication for Parkinson’s
Medication will often play an important part in the treatment for Parkinson’s. Some people will have a complicated medication regime, requiring the administration of a number of different tablets each day at specific times. Being responsible for ensuring that someone takes all their medication at the right times can be a daunting task and you may need to seek guidance and support from your GP or pharmacist, or from a specialist Parkinson’s Nurse.
Some drugs prescribed for Parkinson’s may have side-effects, including, for a small number of people, impulsive and compulsive behaviour. The person exhibiting such behaviour might not realise they have a problem, so if you notice anything unusual, it is important you raise the matter with a healthcare professional as soon as possible.
Support from health and social care professionals
Professional advice and support can make a big difference to the overall quality of life for someone with Parkinson’s. As well as your GP and specialist Parkinson’s Nurses, there are many other people who can help, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and speech and language therapists. The more professional support you can obtain for your loved one from professionals, the more you will be able to sustain your role as a source of personal and psychological support for that person. You may also find it useful to keep a regular diary.
Advanced Parkinson’s
This term refers to the stage at which the symptoms become more complex and start to have a greater impact on the person’s everyday life. It may be that their drug regime becomes more complex, or that they simply become less effective, or that their side-effects start to outweigh their benefits. It is likely that there will come a point where the person is no longer able to perform tasks such as washing and dressing without help. They might start to become agitated or confused if you are not at their side and you may find it increasingly difficult to keep on top of the housework, let alone have any time to yourself. It is at this point that you might need to start looking at the different care options available.
When is the right time to consider a professional live-in Parkinson's care service?
Most people find that fulfilling the role of full-time carer for their loved one can become exhausting over the longer term. Caring can become all-consuming, with the result that you may have little time and energy left to provide your loved one with the patient and loving personal support and companionship that they also need.
It is at this point you might wish to consider enlisting the help of a professional live-in care service. Without ever trying to take over, a live-in carer will do as much of the day-to-day caring as you want them to, leaving you free to spend more quality time with your loved one and focus on the things that will bring you both pleasure.
Where to begin?
We do our best to try and keep the process as simple as 123, because we understand how hard it can be to know what to do next, especially when you’ve realised that professional help is needed, but aren’t really sure what sort of support would be best or where to find it.
