Care for Parkinson’s Disease

Do you have a senior loved one with Parkinson’s Disease? Let a trained Amada caregiver help you and the beloved senior in your life navigate the day-to-day unknowns of this progressive disease.

Given that Parkinson’s is chronic and progressive, managing the care needs and ensuring quality of life for a senior patient brings many challenges with each disease stage. Since there is no “across the board” standard for how Parkinson’s will affect an individual, a senior loved one may resist assistance. Early Parkinson’s often requires emotional support and less hands-on care. Symptoms of Parkinson’s that may develop will likely change and worsen as the disease progresses—like tremors, balance or walking problems, rigidity or stiffness, and slow movement or loss of movement, as well as difficulties swallowing, speaking and understanding.

Caregiving will become more complicated, as ADLs (activities of daily living) like personal care become more difficult for the senior patient to accomplish. Perhaps most stressful to the senior with Parkinson’s and the family are the unknowns of day-to-day caregiving needs, given the unpredictability of Parkinson’s. Family members may face increased challenges and responsibilities for in-home care as their senior loved one enters the later stages of the disease.

At Amada, the well-being of seniors is our number one priority. Our caregivers are trained to assist with the side effects of Parkinson’s Disease and how they affect activities of daily living. We also work to support family caregivers as their loved ones progress through the stages of Parkinson’s.

When it comes to Parkinson’s care, Amada caregivers:

• Help prevent accidents due to movement disorders. We can help make the senior patient’s home environment safe by keeping pathways open, clearing obstacles and removing unsteady decor or rugs.
• Offer patience and empathy while helping patients with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s complete ADLs and respond with warm reassurance to reduce their anxiety and confusion when communication difficulties and forgetfulness arise.
• Encourage communication, social activities and social involvement as much as possible while the senior patient is still able to participate and be involved.
• Understand their role serving as a member of the Parkinson’s patient’s health care team by helping monitor symptoms, giving medication reminders, assisting with physical or speech therapy exercises, and performing other non-medical tasks as part of the individual’s treatment plan.
• Know to follow the dietary plan set forth by the senior patient’s physician without deviating, including things like the consistency of solids and liquids and the size of each bite.
• Help the senior ambulate by encouraging them to focus on taking short steps and visualizing the activity.