As our parents and loved ones begin to age, they become susceptible to many more ailments, diseases, and disorders. Luckily, some diseases are easy to treat than others and may only require medication. But when is it time for your aging parents to receive in-home health care? Your parents' doctors can assist you with this dilemma, but there are several diseases that will most likely result in the need for home health aides.
Alzheimer's and Dementia are the most common illnesses that will require extra care as the disease progresses. Alzheimer's disease attacks the brain and causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. It usually affects people over the age of 60, but how fast the disease will progress can vary from person to person. Most live about 8-10 years after diagnosis. It begins with simple memory problems, but then leads to confusion, problems doing simple tasks, forgetting who people are, and problems with speech and writing. The disease can be trea ted but not cured. It will only be a matter of time before your loved one needs home health aides to help him with daily tasks.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths in America and it can affect people of all ages. However, the risk for developing cancer does increase with age. There are over a 100 different types of cancer and depending on the type and severity, your aging parents might not need extra care. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy. Some patients may need temporary care after surgery. If the cancer is widespread or untreatable, home health care is often the choice of many rather than staying in a hospital.
Parkinson's disease is very treatable with medications and many people do not suffer severely from it, but like all diseases, it can worsen over time. Parkinson's is a neurological disorder where the neurons degenerate over time. Symptoms include tremors, slow movement or the inability to move, and rigid limbs. When medication is no longer as effective, the person can have great difficulty performing tasks. In the later stage s of the disease, some may have problems with balance, difficulty swallowing, confusion, hallucinations, and severe tremors. It is these patients that can benefit the most from home health aides to care for them.
Although not nearly as deadly or severe as the previously mentioned diseases, a serious case of arthritis could require the help of home health aides. Nearly half the people over the age of 65 will develop some form of arthritis. Medication and exercises can easily help many elderly people, but if the person still has trouble doing tasks like cooking, cleaning, and bathing, it can be very debilitating. Only in such extreme cases would it be necessary to seek outside assistance.
These are but a few of the many problems that may cause one to need constant care. When you find that your aging parents are no longer able to care for themselves, it is apparent that in-home healthcare might be the best solution.
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