This may involve scheduled visits by a nurse who is trained in caring for those with ALS. Skilled nursingĪt some point, you might also look into skilled nursing visits to help you take care of your loved one in the home.
You can help this process by watching your loved one in their home and making note of any challenges they may face while performing daily activities.
As their movement becomes more limited, occupational therapy will help equip your loved one with aides to help them be as independent as possible. Occupational therapists are trained to evaluate the ways patients move in their own environments.
It’s also important to understand the proper way to support your loved one while they exercise to prevent injury or harm. If you’d like to assist your loved one with these exercises, be sure to talk to the physical therapist about your role. Even after the muscles no longer function, ongoing physical therapy is important.Ī physical therapy plan may include a schedule of at-home activities. Physical therapists help those with ALS maintain strength and flexibility. With ALS, it’s important for your loved one to keep moving, even if that means they need assistance. You may also go over the list of medications to ensure your loved one is taking the correct dosage at the right time. You can support this plan by going to your loved one’s appointments, asking questions and taking notes. The doctor may prescribe your loved one a combination of medications to help slow the progression of muscle deterioration and to manage physical symptoms. Your loved one’s healthcare team will work together to develop an initial treatment plan that may include the following: ALS medications Learn about ALS treatments and how you can help manage symptoms Other problems that can be life-threateningĪlthough life expectancy after diagnosis is usually about 2 to 5 years, some people with ALS can live for many more years, especially those who have a good support system.This leads to many symptoms that worsen over time, including:ĪLS symptoms can differ from person to person, but as the disease progresses, people experience: As your motor neurons become damaged, your muscles start to wither and deteriorate. These nerve cells, called motor neurons, control movement in your muscles. More importantly, don’t lose focus on yourself! Get to know the basics of ALSĪLS is what we call a “progressive” condition that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. To prepare yourself to be an ALS caregiver, try to learn all you can about the condition, and talk to your friends or family about the role you’d like to play in their care. You may also be the support they go to on bad days, and good days.Ĭaregiving can often be rewarding, but over time, it can take a physical and emotional toll. Assisting them in making decisions that impact their care.As a caregiver, you may help the patient with: Just to clarify, an ALS caregiver is a person who helps someone with ALS take care of the things they can’t take care of themselves. We believe caregiver support is an essential component of patient care. This is why we built our program around families, not just patients. Why being a caregiver is so importantĪs time goes by, patients and families juggle confusing emotions, changes in the way they live their lives every day, and in the respective roles they play within their family and social circle. And then the more outward physical changes start to take place. It’s definitely a full-time job.Ī diagnosis of ALS - also called Lou Gehrig’s disease - is extremely overwhelming. If you’re the one who is going to take care of someone with ALS, there’s a heavy burden to not only learn about the disease itself, but also to understand how you can best help your friend or family member. In my work with patients who are diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), I find that even though one person has the condition, it affects their whole circle of friends and family, too.
0 kommentar(er)
