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Home » Six Ways Skilled Nursing at Home Helps Seniors Live Well with Parkinson’s Disease

Six Ways Skilled Nursing at Home Helps Seniors Live Well with Parkinson’s Disease

Skilled nursing in King City, OR

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disease that has no known cure. It’s a progressive condition, which means that it gradually gets worse over time. Eventually, skilled nursing care at home can offer a powerful way for seniors to manage their symptoms, remain as functional as possible, and continue to live a fulfilling life.

1. Medication Management

Medication adherence is critical no matter what the condition is, but it’s especially important for patients with Parkinson’s disease. It’s vital for skilled nurses to be able to watch for side effects and ways that medications may be interacting in a negative way. Nurses can also stay alert for symptoms changes that mean that the condition may be worsening more quickly than doctors expected.

2. Coordinating Therapies and Care

Seniors with Parkinson’s disease often require other types of treatments and therapies to manage symptoms. Physical and occupational therapy are just a couple of examples. Luckily, these specialists can often come to seniors at home and help them in a comfortable environment. In between visits, nurses can help seniors remember to do their exercises and practice what they started in therapy.

3. Helping with Speech and Swallowing Challenges

Speech issues and problems with swallowing are common issues for seniors with Parkinson’s disease. Occupational therapy can help with these challenges, but so can speech therapy. Nurses can be there to help ensure that seniors are getting the nutrients they need, even when eating is more difficult to do.

4. Fall Prevention Strategies

Falls are a big concern for all seniors, but the challenges of Parkinson’s disease mean that seniors may need extra help with fall prevention plans. Skilled nursing at home can help families to assess fall risk factors and hazards, correcting what they can in order to improve safety.

5. Nutritional Guidance

Nutrition and a healthy diet matters a lot, even if seniors are relatively healthy outside of Parkinson’s disease. Skilled nurses can help seniors to plan menus that focus on their dietary needs, including all of the nutritional content seniors need. Putting those plans together helps to relieve a lot of stress from family caregivers, too, making it easier for them to be sure seniors are eating the right foods.

6. Emotional Support Along the Way

It’s so hard to live with a chronic health condition of any kind, but Parkinson’s disease brings with it a lot of unique difficulties. Skilled nursing at home can help families to find the emotional support tools they need, including therapy, support groups, and more. Nurses also offer a friendly and compassionate presence for their patients as they offer them help. 

Skilled nursing at home helps to make seniors with Parkinson’s feel more empowered and capable than they would if they were dealing with all of this alone. They can offer expert medical care, keep healthcare providers and family caregivers informed, and also offer other types of assistance. With the right support, seniors with Parkinson’s disease can still live fulfilling and joy-filled lives in their own homes for longer than they might have expected they could.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Skilled Nursing in King City, OR, please contact the caring staff at Integrity In-Home Care. Call today at (503) 660-3755.