How to Care for Seniors with Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the death of brain nerve cells. It may have been present for years before the patient required active care. It manifests as stiff muscles and other movement-related issues that progressively get worse. Parkinson’s disease care would surely provide a number of obstacles over time. To improve your loved one’s quality of life, you must also be aware of strategies for reducing the disease’s negative consequences. A Parkinson’s care plan can be supplemented with a few things.

Determine Parkinson’s disease symptoms

Your most effective tool for helping a senior with Parkinson’s disease care is knowledge. First, you must learn to spot Parkinson’s disease symptoms and warning signs.

Adjust the daily schedule as necessary

Be prepared to modify the pattern after it has been created when the senior’s condition changes over time. Watch carefully for the following when helping someone with daily tasks:

• Take your time getting them out of bed, since sudden changes in blood pressure could cause them to feel dizzy.
• Elevate their sleeping position by at least 30 degrees using cushions or an adjustable bed.
• Give the elderly an electric toothbrush or electric shaver to make grooming and personal hygiene easy if they have stiff hands.
• Make sure to have non-skid bath mats ready, and avoid using the tub.
• Use a shower stool or install a grab bar to stop falls.
• Make bathrobes available to make drying off after showers easier.
• To make it easier for seniors to dress, lay out clothes in advance and swap out buttons for elastic or velcro waistbands.

Parkinson’s disease medication care

Discuss Parkinson’s disease treatment options openly with elderly people. You can make it straightforward to locate the right dosage by labelling or color-coding each medication. The senior won’t have to ask you every time they need their dose because they will know where to look first.

The risks and adverse effects, such as low blood pressure, fainting spells, limb swelling, sleep attacks, or insomnia, should be discussed with the doctor in advance. Simple physical exercises like ankle rotations and fist pumps may help regulate blood pressure. Keep a Parkinson’s disease symptoms diary to document your observations and side effects before a senior’s next doctor’s appointment.

Make lifestyle changes

Benefits of physical activity and exercise

Specific benefits of exercise can help with Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Like any other sort of medicine, it can cure tremors, tense muscles, delayed movement, and constipation. It can also improve your cognitive ability, flexibility, balance, and mood.

Physical exercise might also include things like daily housekeeping and recreational pursuits. Simple domestic chores can help your loved one stay active in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. These include:

• Simple household tasks, such as laundry and gardening
• Tai chi or yoga
• Cycling
• Movement-based video games, such as tennis on a Nintendo Wii

Parkinson’s patients who are left unattended run the risk of losing their balance, so even in the early to mid-stages of the disease, it’s critical to keep an eye out for giddiness and falls.

The best care plan for freezing, motor fluctuations, and other symptoms should be developed in therapy sessions for Parkinson’s patients who are in the moderate stages of the disease. This is possible at adjacent day treatment centres.

Changes to the diet

If the senior is able to prepare their own meals, encourage them to choose a nutritious diet that provides enough of fresh fruits and vegetables to provide fibre.

Parkinson’s sufferers may have difficulty swallowing or feeding themselves in the later stages of the disease. In such cases, start switching to soft foods like mashed potatoes, yogurt, and cereal or consider eating more frequently and in smaller portions.

Caregivers’ checklist

A senior with Parkinson’s disease may require assistance with daily tasks, but you should also encourage as much independence as you can. You can use the following checklist to make things easier for you both you and the senior in your care in the long run:

• Keep a log of the elders’ Parkinson’s symptoms so that you and the medical team can conveniently track their development.
• Keep their medical documents in a folder since appointments and paperwork need to be in one place.
• Set a daily alert for medication reminders on your ConsidraCare caregiver app.
• Place kitchenware and other essentials for the elderly in easily accessible locations throughout the home.
• To make it simpler for a senior to scoop food, use bowls with higher lips instead of shallow plates.
• Watch out for signs of dementia or depression and seek professional assistance.
• Speak with a professional for guidance on the necessary home adjustments, such as installing grab rails or ramps all around the home or replacing rugs with non-slip mats. 

Although your daily caregiving tasks may feel daunting, they can also deepen your relationship with the person you are caring for. By maintaining a good attitude and focusing on what they can accomplish, you can motivate the senior to be active.

Want to learn more?

ConsidraCare’s live-in caregivers are trained to offer professional support to seniors, such as those with Parkinson’s. Please reach out to us at wecare@considracare.com or call us at 1-855-410-7971 to arrange care for a loved one.