Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease. This means that the symptoms and challenges your senior experiences early in the disease will likely be mild, but will increase and worsen as they move through the phases of the disease. As a family caregiver, this means you must be able to help them fulfill the needs of their disease as well as their other personal challenges and now, and also be prepared to adapt and increase your care as these needs increase. If you live at a distance from your parents, this can be a particularly difficult. Relying on family members to help with this care can relieve your stress and ensure the ongoing quality and effectiveness of the care your parent receives.

Some of the ways other family members can help you care for a senior with Parkinson’s disease when you live at a distance include:

• Be with your parent on a regular basis when you are not able to be. Just their presence and companionship can be extremely beneficial to their mental and emotional health, but it also helps to detect when your senior may be progressing through further stages of the disease.
• Handle daily tasks for your parent. Even if they each take on one or two tasks such as grocery shopping, bringing them to appointments, helping clean their home, or preparing meals, this can add up to a huge amount of help for your parent.
• Manage immediate needs when you are unable to get to them. If your parent has a sudden or urgent need, you are unlikely to be able to get to them to manage it for them. A family member who is closer is more likely to be able to get to your parent quickly and provide immediate assistance. This can either completely fulfill the need, or can handle it for as long as it takes for you to be able to get there.

Even if you have siblings or other family members who are willing to help you with your parent’s care needs when you live at a distance from them, starting senior care can be a valuable decision in your family caregiver approach. A senior living with Parkinson’s disease will face a variety of challenges and symptoms that are difficult to manage, and require dedicated care, particularly as the condition progresses. Having a senior home care services provider as a part of your parent’s care ensures they will have access to the customized care they need throughout their progression. This provider steps in to fill care gaps, supplement the care given to your parent by the rest of the care team, and encourage your loved one to live their highest quality of life as they age in place. This is very important for an elderly adult coping with a progressive disease such as Parkinson’s disease, as their needs will change and increase often unpredictably throughout their later years.

http://parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Causes-and-Statistics/Statistics
http://www.parkinson.org/Living-with-Parkinsons/For-Caregivers/Caring-From-Afar/Secondary-Caregiving

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Dulles, VA, please contact the caring staff at Assisting Hands today. (703) 982-0050.