Life with Parkinson’s Disease
Jul 29th
More than 1 million Americans are living with Parkinson’s disease. Each day more of them are making life decisions that move them from coping with Parkinson’s to managing Parkinson’s. There is a difference.
Managing Parkinson’s disease and living a full life takes a certain amount of practice and a larger amount of dedication. Since Parkinson’s disease can affect daily activities, managing it means making changes to your lifestyle, your approach to activities, as well as your outlook. Embracing change is the first step to managing and living a fuller life with Parkinson’s.
Follow the links below to learn how to increase the quality of your life with Parkinson’s disease. Learn management skills that will move you beyond coping to a fuller, more meaningful life.
Forced Exercise Treats Parkinson’s Disease?
Jul 27th
Dr. Jay Alberts, an avid cyclist and neuroscientist made an amazing discovery last year. When riding with David, who has Parkinson’s disease, he noticed a change in David’s motor skills before and after the rides. This amazing discovery prompted a study to test whether weeks of a plan called “forced exercise” can improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Watch the video clip by ABC News to see the results of this study.
2010 Parkinson’s Unity Walk Raises Support and Donations
May 17th
Spring was in the air and in the step of thousands as they came together last month to raise support and funds for Parkinson’s disease research. People from around the nation joined forces for this much needed cause and the results have been amazing! As of April 30th, the Parkinson’s Unity Walk raised more than $1.2 million.
Since the beginning of the Unity Walk, 100% of all funds raised have been designated for research and are distributed among the major U.S. Parkinson’s disease foundations, including the American Parkinson Disease Association, the National Parkinson Foundation, The Parkinson Alliance, Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, The Parkinson’s Institute, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and Parkinson’s Action Network.
If you missed last April’s Unity Walk but would still like to make a donation, visit http://www.unitywalk.org/events/. You may also be able to sign up for next year’s walk.
The Impact of Long-term Stress on Caregivers
Jan 12th
Caregiving and stress go hand-in-hand. All devoted and loving caregivers experience some level of stress. For some it is the stress of watching a family member’s physical or cognitive health deteriorate; for others the stress comes from financial worries while others experience stress by having to deal with the bureaucratic mazes of the healthcare system. These are only a few examples of stressful situations that family caregivers across the nation are facing daily.
How stress impacts the caregiver’s health can result in serious illnesses that can drastically hinder the ability to care for a loved one.
Stress is more than an emotion; it is the body’s response to danger. Muscles tense, adrenaline flows, and heart rate increases so that the body is ready for flight or fight mode. It is basic survival mode. Yet long periods in this heightened physical response creates relentless pressure and strain on the body. Caregiving for a family member with a deteriorating condition like Alzheimer’s Disease or Parkinson’s Disease is prime example of long-term stress.
Caregivers enduring long-term stress face several health consequences. Studies have shown that stress weakens the immune system which makes caregivers vulnerable to illnesses like the flu. The impact of stress on the immune system can also cause vaccines to work less effectively and slow the healing process of wounds. Furthermore, stress can exacerbate chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis.
Add to stress the muscle and joint strain of certain physical tasks that go into caregiving, poor diet, and lack of sleep and exercise, caregivers are faced with a mountain of health risks. In severe cases, caregivers are at risk of heart attacks, stroke, or even death.
In a study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Dec. 15, 1999), Richard Schulz and Scott Beach found that elderly caregivers who reported strain were 63% more likely to die than their non-caregiving peers. Some caregivers die while their ill family member lives on.
If you’re a caregiver who is elderly or in poor health, you deserve respite. Better Living Home Care can step in and care for your loved one when you need to rest, strengthen your physical and mental, or simply perform the aspects of caregiving that are unmanageable.
Don’t risk your and your loved one’s health. Get the help you both require. Contact Better Living Home Care to schedule a free in-home consultation.
Spouses Who Provide Care to Partners with Parkinson’s At Risk
Jan 7th
A ten-year study*, conducted by the Oregon Health Science University, has suggested that spouses that are caregivers for a partner with Parkinson Disease are at risk of developing a decline in physical and mental health.
Participants in the study were first studied in 1992 and 1994, lived across North America and cared for a loved one who was in the early stages of Parkinson’s. Extensive research was picked up again in 2002 and the following findings were discovered:
- Caregivers caring for a spouse with Parkinson’s Disease over a ten-year period were at increased risk for negative health and strain. Health and well-being significantly deteriorated, while strain from caregiving significantly increased.
- Quality of relationship and caregiver poorer health effected caregiver strain and well-being.
- Of the people with Parkinson’s residing in assisted living facilities, 55% had dementia compared with only 8% of those who remained at home.
- Depression requiring professional treatment was present in 20% o f the entire caregiver sample. Depression in caregivers of patients in assisted living facilities was over twice (55%) that of those in bereaved or ongoing care groups.
These findings suggest that caregiving for a spouse with Parkinson’s Disease for many years can lead to depression, health problems, and strain. It also emphasized the need to help families through community services such as in home care by professional caregivers, respite caregivers, and emotional support groups.
If you are caring for a spouse with Parkinson’s, know that your care is only as good as your health and well-being. Better Living Home Care can give you the support and relief you need to maintain your health and reduce strain.
Contact us today for a FREE IN HOME CONSULTATION.
(* The data from this study was conducted by Karen Lyons, Julie Carter, Barbara Stewart, and Patricia Archbold and was taken from the Official Journal of the National Parkinson Foundation Vol. XV, Issue 4, Fall 2004. This study is still being analyzed.)