Parkinson’s Care

Your family and our caregivers play a very important role in the life of your loved one with Parkinson’s. Our caregivers can assist in the following areas to help loved ones remain functional for many years:

Tremors

Many people with Parkinson’s disease feel embarrassed by their tremors. Our caregivers will suggest and help your loved one to hold a book or put their hands in their pockets to try to reduce the tremor.

Walking

Our caregivers will encourage people with Parkinson’s to concentrate on their walking. Talking or asking questions while person with Parkinson’s are walking should be avoided because the distraction may bring them to a sudden stop. When patients with Parkinson’s become frozen in place, caregivers might suggest that they rock slightly from side to side and count out loud to get themselves moving again.

Exercise

Our caregivers will keep your loved ones as mobile as possible with active or passive range-of-motion exercises. In the later stages of the disease, regular exercise helps prevent contractions

Elimination

Our caregivers will watch out for constipation, which can cause fecal impaction and urinary tract infections. Both are common in persons with this disease.

Emotional stress

Parkinson’s care patients often become depressed. Our caregivers will encourage them to talk about their feelings. Emotional support is important because anxiety and fearfulness increase the severity of their symptoms.

Nutrition

Chewing and swallowing becomes a problem as the disease progresses. Our caregivers will substitute three large meals a day for six small meals a day for your loved one. Caregivers will make sure the patient remains upright for at least 30 minutes after eating to avoid aspiration of food into the lungs.

Communication

Our caregivers won’t rush the Parkinson’s patients to speak. The stress of trying to hurry will make his or her speech harder to understand. When communication between patients and caregivers is critical, caregivers should ask questions that can be answered with a yes or no.

Skin care

Skin breakdown is a common problem caused by drooling, incontinence, excessive perspiration, and scaliness. Our caregivers will monitor any redness or breaks in the skin and attend to them immediately. They will also take all of the usual preventive measures to reduce skin breakdown, such as keeping the skin clean and dry, and keeping bed linens and clothes free of wrinkles.

Please check other ADA Extended Home Care services: Alzheimer & Dementia Care, Stroke Care & Post Hospital Care.