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Talking About Home Care with Your Family

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Coming to Terms with Your Health

Most of us have a strong sense of privacy when it comes to our health care. Sometimes we may feel uncomfortable sharing our health conditions with family and close friends and certainly don’t like admitting to the fact that we may need some extra help when our health is poor. It’s hard for us to talk about the challenges we face when illness strikes because we fear losing our sense of independence.

Home health care, the in-home medical support service that help patients live independently, can be an uncomfortable topic to discuss for some. However, home health care is vital to help maintain one’s health and an important subject to talk about with your family members, as they will often be your support system when taking care of your health.

The Role of a Home Care Agency

The purpose of home care agencies, such as Edison Home Health Care, is to enhance each client’s overall health and well-being by offering quality care by providing patients with helpful services, allowing them to live independently.  By assisting patients with activities of daily living (ADLs) like dressing, bathing, light housekeeping, providing clinical supervision such as checking vital signs, giving injections, and drawing blood, and by offering other medical services like wound care, home care agencies create a client environment that fosters healing without requiring the constant attention of a doctor’s oversight.

Getting your family Involved in Your Health

For those of us used to being independent, powerful, and in control of their life, being open with family members and turning to them for help can feel embarrassing. It’s important to realize that taking steps to get the care you need demonstrates determination, responsibility, and strength. Nothing will reassure your spouse or children more than seeing you take responsibility for your own safety by sharing and entrusting your health in them. Talking honestly with the people who care about you about getting the help you need is a way to comfort the both of you. If you are on the same page about your health, neither you or your loved will be worried or concerned about whether you’re getting the care you need.

Having a few extra pair of eyes can see things that you may  personally overlook. Your family’s suggestions and input will be valuable as you put your plan together with your Doctor and home care agency.  Your family is an essential part of your support system in when it comes to your health, comfort, and overall well-being and they deserve to know that you are getting the care you need. Although it can be hard at first, being open with your family about your health will benefit you immensely. When your health needs are properly being managed, and taken care of, you can both focus your attention on the parts of your relationship that bring you the most joy.

If you have any home care questions and want to learn more Medicaid home care services, or are curious about what types of services will be best for you or a loved one, contact Edison Home Health Care. Start a conversation with your family and take control of your health care together.

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Primary Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

Primary Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

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Primary Symptoms of Parkinson’s DiseaseParkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that effects many people as they age. Although it is most common in people over 50, it can begin to manifest itself earlier. The exact mechanism of Parkinson’s is not precisely understood; we do know, however, that it involves deterioration in parts of the brain that govern movement, specifically the death of brain cells that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential to movement. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive degenerative disorder, meaning that it gets worse over time. An increase in the number and severity of symptoms may happen slowly, or at a more rapid pace.

Primary symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may appear in clusters, or one at a time. One of the most characteristic, and often earliest, manifestations of Parkinson’s disease is tremor and shaking, especially in the limbs, hands, and face. Stiffness and rigidity in the torso and limbs is also typical for people suffering from Parkinson’s. Walking often becomes difficult for people with Parkinson’s, as other primary symptoms of the disorder include poor balance, impaired coordination, and a shuffling gait in place of a normal walking stride. Bradykinesia (slowness of movement) as well as akinesia (inability to move) are also primary symptoms, making locomotion challenging. People with Parkinson’s often exhibit a stooped posture, experience trouble with chewing and swallowing, and have foot pain accompanied by involuntary curling of the toes.

If you suspect that someone you care about has Parkinson’s, it’s important to stay alert to these primary symptoms. Although they may not be seem to be severe in the early stages, Parkinson’s symptoms can none the less progress rapidly. Some Parkinson’s symptoms severely impact quality of life: tremors and shaking, along with poor coordination, can make it hard to perform everyday tasks like dressing, household chores, and self-care. Others can be life-threatening: difficulty chewing and swallowing can increase the risk of malnutrition and choking, while impaired balance and a shuffling gait make serious falls and injuries more likely.

Edison Home Health Care is happy to assist you or a loved one with senior care services. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

Home Care Services Brooklyn

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Understanding Your Limits with Parkinson’s

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Parkinson’s disease creates many challenges for its sufferers. It is a progressive disease, meaning that symptoms worsen over time. Physical symptoms include tremors and shaking, difficulty walking and balancing, fatigue, compromised coordination and motor skills, and rigidity of the trunk and limbs. While these symptoms are very common, affecting a majority of people with the disease, the way they appear and progress can vary tremendously between individuals. For example, severe tremors may immediately affect one patient while another may not even experience tremors. Due to the unpredictable progression of the disease, it’s important for patients, caregivers, and loved ones to pay keen attention to individual symptoms.

Certain symptoms may be mild enough to allow patients to continue performing daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, and meal preparation, unassisted in the early stages. Other tasks that once were managed easily may become extremely difficult or dangerous. High-risk activities include driving or performing strenuous chores. Once symptoms have set-in, it essential to understand the patient’s level of ability. Although it is difficult for many Parkinson’s sufferers to adjust to the loss of independence, safety should always be the primary concern.

For caregivers, it is challenging to assist someone who is facing a loss of physical ability and an increase in dependence. Ease the patient’s stress by allowing them to be actively involved in decisions about their care. Take the time to explain changes in roles in an empathetic manner. Also, allow patients to continue to participate in safe activities and household tasks as much as their condition will tolerate. Small efforts such as these will help patients maintain a sense of purpose, and will ease the transition from full independence to greater reliance on others.

Edison Home Health Care is happy to advise and assist you or any loved one who seek appropriate care of Parkinson’s disease. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

Parkinson Home Care New York

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Transitioning to Dependence with Parkinson’s

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Individuals with Parkinson’s disease are faced with a variety of physical and psychological health challenges in their daily lives. Parkinson’s cognitive symptoms can include depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, confusion, and dementia. Parkinson’s physical symptoms may include shaking, tremors, difficulty walking, compromised balance, fatigue, stiffness, rigidity of the limbs and torso. These symptoms are progressive, and worsen overtime. Although there is no cure for Parkinson’s, there are a number of ways in which loved ones and caregivers can make life more manageable for people who suffer from the disease.

One of the most difficult aspects of Parkinson’s is the transition from independence to dependence. Individuals rely heavily on family members, friends, and caregivers as the disease progresses. Activities that once were easy – such as driving, writing, doing laundry, cooking, and dressing – can become tedious. Patients may feel helpless and insecure admitting that they need help. A loss of independence can affect their sense of purpose, identity, and self-worth. Ensure you are sensitive to the patient’s loss of independence and assuring them that it is favorable to ask for assistance when needed.

While those in the early stages of Parkinson’s may insist living independently, there are tasks such as driving or cleaning that could be too dangerous or difficult for them to do on their own. Caregivers and loved ones can help by involving the person with Parkinson’s in their own care, giving them choices, and finding ways to let them help. Above all, patience and flexibility is the key as everyone adjusts to an altered lifestyle.

Edison Home Health Care is happy to advise and assist you or any loved one who seek appropriate care of Parkinson’s disease. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

Parkinson Home Care New York

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Understanding the Symptoms of Parkinson’s

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Parkinson’s disease has a variety of effects that can make life very challenging for its sufferers. Compromised mobility is the hallmark of the disease, which results from the death of nerve cells in the brain that are vital to the regulation of movement. Parkinson’s is a chronic, progressive disease, meaning that it worsens over time. There is currently no treatment or cure for Parkinson’s. There is, however, ways to manage the of symptoms and promote quality of life for patients.

Physical symptoms include: tremors (shaking of the limbs, extremities and face); stiffness and rigidity of the arms, legs, and torso; slowness of movement; and compromised balance and coordination. Symptoms such as these often appear early in the progression of the disease. Perform everyday tasks such as writing, driving, preparing meals, cleaning, and bathing become much more difficult with the symptoms. Certain symptoms may progress more quickly for some people than for others. For example, while one person may experience tremors early on, another person may find difficulty balancing and walking to be their primary symptom. Individual symptoms may progress relatively quickly or slowly; the debilitating aspects of the disease may appear all at once or gradually over time.

In addition to challenges with movement, Parkinson’s sufferers may experience other, non-motor symptoms. These include: loss of sense of smell, fatigue, depression, constipation, and sleep problems. Parkinson’s may also lead to difficulty processing information and communicating. Some patients may experience confusion and dementia could develop in later stages. Working closely with physicians, health care providers, and family members to determine a treatment plan that addresses each individual’s experience is imperative. A smart and well planned approach to symptom management can be extremely beneficial for patients and caregivers.

Edison Home Health Care is happy to advise and assist you or any loved one who seek appropriate care of Parkinson’s disease. Give us a call at 888-311-1142, or fill out a contact form and we will respond shortly.

Parkinson Home Care New York

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