Elderly Care in Stockton CA
Learning that your aging loved one is suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS, can be a terrifying and disheartening moment. This rare neuromuscular disease has extensive impact on your 
parent’s functioning and an average life expectancy of three to five years after onset of symptoms. This, however, does not mean that you cannot continue to enjoy a meaningful and fulfilling relationship with your senior and that they cannot have a high quality of life as they progress through the disease. By designing your care plan around supporting their life rather than just managing their symptoms you can help your loved one to stay as safe, healthy, and comfortable as possible throughout their later years.
Use these tips to help you care for a senior who is suffering from ALS:
- Address safety needs first. Your parent’s symptoms will involve difficulty with mobility and gait, which can increase their risk for falls and serious injuries associated with those falls. Make meaningful changes throughout their home that will help to make it easier for them to navigate the space and reduce the risk of injuries.
- Provide supervision and assistance at mealtime. Difficulty swallowing is common for seniors dealing with ALS and this can make eating more dangerous. Talk to their doctor about foods that you can prepare that will be easier for your parent to consume safely. This might involve using food thickeners or changing the way that you serve meals to encourage easier chewing and swallowing.
- Keep them involved. Your senior might not have the physical capabilities that they did prior to their disease, but that does not mean that they are not able to enjoy life any longer. Keeping them actively engaged in the activities of your family and encouraging them to stay in touch with friends, hobbies, organizations, and volunteer work will keep their mental and emotional health high, keep them motivated, and help to bring additional meaning into their later years.
If your aging parent has recently been diagnosed with or is suffering from a serious medical condition such as ALS, starting elderly care for them can be one of the best decisions that you can make as their family caregiver. Starting this type of care is not about you not wanting to care for your loved one or it not mattering to you if they get all of the support and assistance that they need. Far from it, in fact, elderly care is about building up a network of care and support around your parent and taking steps to ensure that your senior gets everything that they need at all times to help them manage their symptoms as well as fulfill their other needs. This ensures that they are not just addressing their ALS, but also any other challenges that they are experiencing in a way that respects their individuality, lifestyle, and goals so that they can live out their later years in the way that is right for them.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Stockton, CA, please contact the caring staff at ApexCare®. Proudly Serving Sacramento, Yolo, Placer & El Dorado Counties. Call Today 916-924-9111.
Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis/home/ovc-20247208
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Amyotrophic-Lateral-Sclerosis-ALS-Fact-Sheet