In-Home Care for Huntington's Disease in Asheville, NC
Huntington's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that impacts the individual's physical, mental, and psychological state. It's important to understand and prepare for the progression of Huntington's disease so you can provide your loved one with the best quality of life and individual care. Visiting Angels in Asheville, North Carolina, offers tailored in-home care services to fit your schedule and needs.
What Is Huntington's Disease?
Huntington's is a genetic disease that usually appears in someone's 30s or 40s and worsens over a period of 10 to 20 years, ultimately proving fatal. Huntington's disease damages the nerve cells in the brain and causes a number of worsening symptoms in the central nervous system.
Patients gradually lose control of their movement, suffering from rigid muscles and sudden spasms. Over time, it will become difficult for them to speak and swallow. Huntington's also affects mental awareness and perception, meaning patients may have trouble finding words, focusing, organizing, and learning new information. Those with Huntington's often lose their impulse control, which can result in sudden outbursts and thoughtless behavior.
Depression is common with Huntington's disease, both as a result of the individual's worsening lack of control and as a natural result of the progressive brain injury. Patients may struggle with insomnia, apathy, fatigue, and sadness. Huntington's can also cause bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or mania.
Benefits of In-Home Care for Huntington's Disease Patients
If you have a loved one with Huntington's disease, you'll know how important it is for them to receive proper care for their physical health as well as their mental and emotional well-being. This is a debilitating condition that takes an incredible toll on both the patient and their close friends and family members. In-home care allows your loved one to maintain as much normalcy and comfort as possible. This is especially important, as Huntington's changes nearly every other part of the patient's life.
Dedicated caregivers can help your loved one maintain their home, adapt their routine, and continue with many of the activities that they enjoy. This begins with mindfully adapting the home with accommodations, such as safety bars. Items may need to be secured, removed, or rearranged to keep them safe. In later stages, in-home care may require the installation of a hospital bed and other specialized devices.
Specialized Care Plans for Huntington's Disease
Huntington's takes many forms as it progresses, so those with the disease need specialized but flexible care plans that are designed to evolve over time. Caregivers can provide physical, mental, and emotional support and design care plans to provide your loved one with as much autonomy as possible while protecting them from the many hazards that occur as Huntington's worsens.
Cognitive Impairment
Huntington's patients may have trouble paying attention, controlling their actions, or behaving properly. For this reason, the care plan often includes adjustments to the home, such as locks on drawers, cabinets, or closets, to keep your loved one safe. A security system is often installed both for the safety of the patient and to help with the fears and anxiety that can accompany Huntington's.
Caregivers will implement daily routines that help your loved one understand what to expect, manage their behavior, and maintain a sense of control and autonomy for as long as possible. Experienced caregivers understand the complex nature of Huntington's and provide mental and emotional support.
Falls
It becomes increasingly difficult for Huntington's patients to control their movements, which can result in falls. Therefore, it's essential that care plans are designed to minimize this hazard. Caregivers will typically assist with movement from one place to another, and the home will feature safety rails and mobility devices to support the patient's autonomy in their own home.
Daily routines will include simple, streamlined tasks that minimize the need to move about the house. Thoughtfully placing key items in the home is an important part of the care plan, as it gives the patient more convenient access to the things that they need for any given part of the day.
Malnutrition
Huntington's patients require assistance with their meals. In the early stages, this may simply include help with meal preparation. Over time, the patient will need a caregiver who can feed them. In later stages, the caregiver will need to administer nutrition through feeding tubes. That's why the care plan will evolve over time to accommodate your loved one's changing condition.
Care Services Offered
Visiting Angels provides a wide range of home care services to help those with Huntington's disease manage daily tasks and cope with their progressive condition. This includes assistance with:
- Meal preparation.
- Dressing and basic personal grooming.
- Bathing.
- Medication reminders.
- Light housekeeping.
- Mobility in the home.
- Shopping and other errands.
- Companionship and emotional support.
Our caregivers offer their services on a flexible schedule that's designed to meet the unique needs of your family. You might want to provide the majority of the care for your family member, but even the most dedicated caregivers can't devote 100% of their time to one individual, and it's crucial for you to take care of yourself as well. Visiting Angels offers respite care so you can leave as needed and tend to other tasks or simply get a much-needed break from time to time.
Visiting Angels also offers hourly care on a set schedule, so you can comfortably leave your loved one at home while you're at work or school during the day. If you need 24/7 care, we offer this as well.
Find In-Home Care Services for Huntington's Disease
Personalized in-home care is essential for Huntington's patients. Visiting Angels offers comprehensive support to improve the patient's quality of life and provide respite and support for family members and other caregivers. Contact Visiting Angels in Asheville, North Carolina, to learn more about our in-home care services for Huntington's disease. You can call or text us to schedule a free phone consultation.
Serving Asheville, Hendersonville, Black Mountain, Weaverville, Waynesville, and the Surrounding Areas
Visiting Angels ASHEVILLE, NC
24 Sardis Rd #H-IAsheville, NC 28806
Phone: 828-665-3944
Fax: 866-305-3446