The neurological disorder known as Parkinson’s is common in adults over the age of 60 due to a combination of external and genetic factors. If your aging loved one has developed the disease, you’ll need to make adjustments to preserve many of his or her abilities and boost his or her mental health. Here are some tips your family can use when caring for a loved one with Parkinson’s disease.
1. Get Help
Taking on everything alone can be overwhelming. Instead of going into the caregiving process on your own, ask family and friends to help out. You can also use respite care for short-term relief. When you have attainable tasks and schedules, your loved one’s health won’t be in jeopardy, and you can prevent caregiver burnout. By not attempting to do everything by yourself, you’re setting yourself up for success.
2. Keep Your Loved One Involved
Over time, many of your parent’s abilities may decrease due to Parkinson’s, but keeping him or her active could slow the progression of the disease and allow your loved one to perform many activities independently. Refrain from taking over, and give your loved one space and time to complete tasks. If your parent is having difficulty, you can step in, but don’t force the assistance. Allow your loved one to take his or her time and do as much as possible when it comes to dressing, bathing, cooking, and doing other household chores.
Many seniors in the early stages of Parkinson’s are able to live on their own, but they may need a bit of help with the everyday tasks of life, such as exercising and preparing nutritious meals. Aging adults who require assistance with the tasks of daily living can benefit from reliable elder care. Families trust Lifestar Home Care to provide the high-quality care their elderly loved ones need and deserve. Our caregivers are trained to help seniors prevent serious illnesses and encourage them to make healthier decisions as they age.
3. Include Your Loved One in Important Decisions
Discussing caregiving, medical treatments, powers of attorney, and living arrangements may be difficult for your family and your loved one, but it’s necessary. You need to respect your loved one’s opinions and wishes about his or her affairs, so have the conversation early on, before the disease has progressed significantly. Your loved one will appreciate the respect, and you can have peace knowing you’re abiding by his or her wishes. Speak with an attorney and medical advisors to become more informed about the decisions you may have to make in the future.
4. Make Changes
Tremors, falls, and drooling are some of the main symptoms associated with Parkinson’s, and you’ll need to find ways to handle these issues. The foods you prepare for your parent can address things like tremors and drooling. For instance, decreasing the amount of caffeine your loved one consumes can reduce tremors, and limiting sugary foods can prevent an increase in saliva that leads to drooling. Installing safety devices in the home, especially the bathroom, could prevent falls and other incidents.
Living with serious health conditions can make it challenging for seniors to age in place. However, they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional live-in care. Oklahoma City seniors can benefit from assistance with meal prep, bathing, transportation to the doctor’s office, medication reminders, and much more.
5. Be Realistic
You may want things to get better and wish for the Parkinson’s to stop progressing, but this is unrealistic. Although you can have hope, you shouldn’t set impossible goals pertaining to the disease. Otherwise, your family and your loved one may become disappointed when things don’t go as you thought they would. All you can do is your best and enjoy the time you spend with your parent.
Caring for a loved one with Parkinson’s can be extremely challenging, and a compassionate professional caregiver can be a wonderful source of support. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, medication reminders, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Lifestar Home Care, a leading provider of home care Oklahoma City families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Reach out to one of our Care Managers today to schedule a free in-home consultation.