In-Home Parkinson’s Disease Support Service

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder which tends to progress slowly and can affect each person differently. Research suggests that around one in every 1,000 people in Australia has Parkinson’s disease, and while the disease mostly affects older people, it can also occur in younger adults.

Doctors will evaluate how far Parkinson’s disease has advanced in their patients using these five stages:

Stage 1

The mildest stage of Parkinson’s disease, there may be symptoms present; however, they are likely not severe enough to interfere with everyday tasks and the patient’s lifestyle too heavily. One distinct symptom of Stage 1 Parkinson’s disease is that tremors will generally only occur on one side of the body. Medications prescribed by a doctor can effectively minimise the symptoms at this stage of the disease.

Stage 2

Stage 2 is considered to be a moderate form of Parkinson’s disease, where the symptoms are more noticeable than those experienced in Stage 1. These symptoms include stiffness, changes in facial expressions, and tremors or trembling, which may be more pronounced than during Stage 1. A person’s balance is generally not affected during Stage 2 of Parkinson’s disease. However, they may find certain tasks take longer to perform.

Stage 3

During this stage of the disease, progression is more noticeable, as a loss of balance begins to occur, as well as impaired reflexes. Because of this, falls are more likely to happen. There is medication available which can help to reduce these symptoms, and working with an occupational therapist can also provide some relief.

If you or your loved one has recently received a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, you may find that living at home, independently, is manageable for some time. However, as the disease progresses, certain daily tasks can become more challenging.

Once it becomes difficult to perform basic daily activities like house cleaning, dressing, personal care and grooming, or cooking, for example, it may be time to seek out some help from in-home care support services like those we offer at Care For Family.

As we get older, many of us are choosing to remain in our homes rather than move to residential care facilities, such as aged care homes or nursing homes.

Remaining at home allows us to retain our sense of independence and maintain the quality of life and lifestyle that we love. This desire is just as strong in people living with Parkinson’s disease.

An in-home care professional can provide respite care for the family members and loved ones caring for someone with Parkinson’s disease, allowing them to take time for their own wellbeing.

At Care For Family, our trained registered nurses can prepare a care plan with nursing goals for our clients with Parkinson’s disease. The goals in this care plan are detailed and cover all aspects of our client’s wellbeing, both physical and mental, and include:

• Improving functional mobility
• Maintaining independence in performing ADLs (assistance with daily living activities)
• Achieving optimal bowel elimination
• Attaining and maintaining acceptable nutritional status
• Achieving effective communication
• Developing positive coping mechanisms

If you require in-home care outside of business hours due to an emergency, please call 0466 888 842.

At Care For Family, we are dedicated to helping our clients enjoy a high quality of life, with independence and dignity, while living with Parkinson’s disease.

Our Parkinson’s disease support services have been designed through our years of training and experience to offer you the highest quality of private in-home care.

We believe that it is vitally important that our clients are involved in the decision-making processes which affect their care, which is why we’ve developed our unique person-centred in-home Parkinson’s disease care services.

We know that a Parkinson’s diagnosis can be frightening for both the person receiving it and for friends and family. Parkinson’s disease is a journey which affects everyone differently, and it progresses differently in each person. Having an experienced and compassionate care team to assist with caring and nursing needs can help someone living with Parkinson’s disease, and their loved ones, to significantly improve their outlook.

Our professional care team have helped many people living with Parkinson’s disease to successfully manage their symptoms and navigate the challenges they face. Engaging the services of our team in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease helps our patients and their families to better understand and cope with the challenges ahead.

We can design a treatment plan tailored to suit your specific needs, as well as develop strategies to help you regain a sense of control over your treatment, and vastly improve your quality of life. This treatment plan will develop as symptoms advance, to offer bolstered support when you most need it.