What You Should Know About the Later Stages of Parkinson’s Disease

Elder Care in Elizabeth NJ

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition that impacts approximately one million people throughout the United States with another 60,000 receiving a diagnosis of this condition each year. The progressive nature of this disease means that throughout your loved one’s journey with the condition their symptoms will increase and worsen, requiring more attention and care. Understanding the various stages of this condition can help you to better prepare yourself to give your elderly parent the quality of care that they deserve as they age in place.

Some things that you should know about the later stages of Parkinson’s disease include:

• Referred to as Stage Four and Stage Five, these are the most challenging stages of the disease both for your elderly parent and for you as their family caregiver
• When your elderly parent reaches Stage Four, they will no longer be able to live alone. They will either need to transition into living in your home with your family or will need care with them 24 hours a day
• Though seniors in Stage Four may still be able to stand independently, walking will likely require additional support, such as with a walker
• In Stage Five, your loved one will likely no longer be able to walk or stand due to stiffness throughout the body. They will either need to be in a wheelchair to move around or be bedridden
• During this stage your senior might experience hallucinations and delusions. These can be challenging for you as their caregiver and for other members of their care team, which makes it extremely important that you prepare yourself and the rest of your care team with techniques and coping mechanisms to handle these challenges and keep them safe and healthy
• Palliative care or hospice care can be extraordinarily beneficial during this stage as your senior copes with challenges and needs that require attentive care at all times and for all of their personal needs, including bathing, toileting, eating, and dressing.

If your aging loved one has been progressing through the stages of Parkinson’s disease and their symptoms have become challenging for both of you, starting elder care for them might be the ideal solution for their needs. PD is an extremely difficult disease, particularly in the later stages, and you cannot expect yourself to be able to handle all of the demands on your own. Instead, rely on the highly personalized services of an elderly home care services provider to ensure that your senior gets all of the care, support, and assistance that they need to give them the highest quality of life possible as they age in place. This not only helps your parent to stay as safe, healthy, and comfortable as they can throughout the stages of the condition, but also relieves your stress as their caregiver. By relying on their services, you can feel confident that your parent is getting everything that they need and you can focus your energy and attention more effectively.

Source
https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?how-much-do-you-know-about-later-stage-
parkinson-disease
http://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/what-is-parkinsons/The-Stages-of-Parkinsons-Disease

If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Elizabeth, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care of New Brunswick today. Call (732) 607-8870.