How Liberty’s Home Health Care Can Help Patients with Parkinson’s
Since April is Parkinson’s Awareness month, we thought this would be a great opportunity to raise awareness of this neurodegenerative brain disorder affecting nearly one million people in 2021. Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects a patient’s muscle movements and control and progresses with age, which can interfere with their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and live a life free from pain and stress. While there is no cure, many seniors with PD can benefit from home health care services that can help patients manage their stress and pain, as well as receive compassionate care and support needed to maintain their independence as much as possible.
How Can Liberty Home Health Care Services Help Patients with PD
At Liberty, we understand the unpredictable nature and challenges that seniors with Parkinson’s disease face on a daily basis. Common symptoms include muscle stiffness, tremors, and gait and balance issues, all of which can worsen with age. These symptoms can lead to other health concerns, such as falls, anxiety, depression, dementia, sleep issues, digestive issues, and difficult swallowing. Our expert staff understands these concerns and will help provide high-quality, compassionate care that helps patients better manage their symptoms and achieve their personal goals regarding their quality of life and independence. Oftentimes, patients with PD prefer to receive care at the comfort of their own home, especially as their disease progresses.
Manage Symptoms
For patients and their families, it’s important to remember it’s typically the disease’s symptoms that have the greater impact on a patient’s quality of life. Our home health care services will focus on maintaining a patient’s preferred comfort levels and extending their quality time with family and friends.
Address Mobility Concerns
Patients with Parkinson’s disease may experience mobility issues, which also affect their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Our Liberty team can help patients address their mobility concerns through physical therapy exercises designed to improve a patient’s balance and strength. Evaluating a patient’s home to make modifications is an effective way to improve their home’s safety and make it easier to perform everyday tasks needed to maintain their independence.
Consider Respite Care
To provide the best care possible, primary caregivers must take breaks, especially for a loved one with a serious disease. If the caregiver doesn’t take a break from the physical and emotional demands of their job, they can become overwhelmed and no longer be able to provide adequate support. This is why respite care is a great option - caregivers have peace of mind knowing their loved one is in expert, caring hands, so they can receive the support they need.
As you can see, patients with Parkinson’s disease can benefit from receiving home health care services in the comfort of their home. This is the place that they know and love, which can reduce the stress caused by moving into an unfamiliar nursing home or senior residential community. Contact Liberty HomeCare and Hospice servicing NC, SC, and VA today to learn more about our expert home health care services for patients.
What is Chronic Care Management?
If you or a loved one has a chronic condition, you may have heard of chronic care management (CCM). For those that are new to this service, chronic care management provides chronic care services to Medicare beneficiaries with at least two chronic conditions expected to last at least 12 months. Let’s take a closer look at what chronic care management is and how it may be a good choice for your needs.
What Defines a Chronic Condition?
Before we dive into chronic care management, it’s helpful to understand what defines a chronic condition. A chronic condition lasts at least a year, requires ongoing medical care, and/or limits the activities of daily living (ADLs).
Common chronic conditions include:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Congestive heart failure (CHF)
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Osteoporosis
- Stroke
What is Chronic Care Management?
Chronic care management provides care and support for patients with at least two chronic conditions that are expected to last a year or more. At Liberty HomeCare and Hospice Services, our chronic care management aims to improve a patient’s overall quality of life. To do this, we create a personalized plan of treatment for each patient.
This custom plan is designed to:
- Provide education to the patient and family/caregiver on the disease process.
- Help a patient achieve their personal health goals
- Improve a patient’s mobility, physical fitness, and quality of sleep
- Maintain an ongoing record of the patient’s chronic conditions, health care providers, medications, community services used or needed, and personal information
- Reduce a patient’s pain and stress
- Reduce the need for hospital readmissions
- Reduce emergency room visits
- Reduce length of stay in hospital visits
How Can Liberty Help Patients with Chronic Conditions?
If you or someone you know has chronic conditions, we recommend that you talk with your doctor about your options and whether chronic care management may be a good fit for your health needs. At Liberty HomeCare and Hospice Services, our top priority is to help you achieve a better quality of life that you deserve. Contact us today to learn about our chronic care management services, so you can be on the road towards a healthier life.
Improve the Quality of Your Life with Palliative Care
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 85 percent of older adults have at least one serious health condition, while 60 percent have at least two serious conditions. These numbers indicate the growing number of older adults that suffer from chronic conditions. If you have a serious illness, you may be wondering how you can improve your quality of life and better manage your pain and stress due to your illness. Palliative care is an excellent option to improve the patient’s and their family’s lives. Keep reading to learn more about palliative care and how it may be a good choice for your specific needs.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is a special type of medical care for patients with a serious illness. At Liberty HomeCare and Hospice Services, our palliative care is provided by nurse practitioners (NPs). These experts are dedicated to supporting and comforting patients with a serious illness. Our NPs work and coordinate with the patient’s external care team to ensure the patient receives the appropriate care. This care can be started or stopped at anytime, which makes it an ideal option for patients. Indeed, palliative is based on the needs of the patient, rather than the outcome of their illness. A patient’s doctor may recommend palliative care be provided in addition to using other curative treatments and therapies for their illness.
Can Palliative Care Improve My Quality of Life?
Since palliative care is for anyone with a serious illness, this means it can benefit people with a wide range of chronic health conditions.
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Alzheimer’s
- Cancer
- Cardiac disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Congestive heart failure (CHF)
- Kidney disease
- Renal failure
- Scleroderma
Depending on the type of illness and treatments used, patients may experience a variety of symptoms.
- Anxiety
- Breathing issues
- Constipation
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Sleeping issues
Your nurse practitioner will be there to support and comfort you, so you can live a better life with less pain, discomfort, and stress. Recent studies show that patients with serious illnesses that receive palliative care tend to live longer than those who do not receive this specialized medical care. It’s not surprising to hear that life is better when you receive the personalized care, support, and comfort you deserve.
Liberty’s Palliative Care
Our Liberty Palliative Care team is dedicated to helping our patients enjoy life and everyday activities without unnecessary discomfort and pain. Our NPs will ensure that palliative medications are coordinated with the patient’s external care team, as well as frequently monitor patients’ medications for optimal dosages. If you or someone you know could benefit from palliative care, we encourage you to talk with your loved ones and the relevant doctors. Palliative care is more than just providing medical care and support during a serious illness. Contact Liberty HomeCare and Hospice Services today to learn more about our compassionate, expert services for our amazing patients.
What You Need to Know About Liberty’s Hospice Care
Hospice care is a misunderstood term that many people only associate with end of life. However, hospice is about making the end of life transition with dignity and making each day matter with our compassionate, supportive care. At Liberty HomeCare and Hospice Services, we want to help patients and their families learn about the benefits of hospice care, which goes beyond just caring for patients with life-limiting illnesses. In general, patients qualify for hospice care when they have a serious illness and have been given 6 months or less to live, according to their doctor. Our expert team provides compassion, comfort, education, and emotional and spiritual support for both patients and their families. Continue reading to learn more about Liberty’s hospice care, so you can determine whether hospice is the best choice for your loved one.
Liberty’s Hospice Care
1. Hospice is for Patients with Serious Illnesses
Hospice care provides comfort care, as well as emotional and spiritual support for patients with serious illnesses that are no longer seeking aggressive treatment. Our expert, caring staff understands this and have the technology, experience, and dedication to ensure every patient receives the highest quality of care and support they deserve at home. This care is about making each day matter, sharing time with loved ones, and easing through a natural stage of life.
2. Hospice is a Choice
Hospice is a choice. This means patients can choose to stop receiving hospice care at any time. If patients would like to receive hospice services again, they are welcome to as long as they meet the hospice eligibility qualifications.
3. Patients Can Receive Medicine for Pain Management
With their doctor’s approval, patients can receive medicine to help manage their pain and control symptoms. This can help comfort our patients and improve their quality of life.
4. Hospice Provides Home Medical Equipment Related to a Patient’s Illness
Hospice care can also provide home medical equipment and supplies directly related to a patient’s illness. This can include durable medical equipment (DME), shower chairs, oxygen tanks, disposable supplies, hospital beds, and more.
5. Families are Encouraged to Help Provide Care
Our hospice team will support and educate families and caregivers on how to take care of their loved one in their home setting. The home setting can be in an individual’s house, an assisted living, or a nursing facility. This can be a stressful time, which is why our team will make regular scheduled visits to ensure patients, families, and caregivers receive high-quality care, support, and comfort.
6. Start Hospice Sooner Rather Than Later
Hospice care can be ordered for patients with a terminal illness. Starting hospice care as soon as a patient is appropriate allows for patients and their families/caregivers to receive the full benefits of the service improving the patients’ quality of life.
7. Hospice Supports Patients’ Families
After a patient passes away, we offer bereavement care to their loved ones for up to 13 months. This can help ease the impact of death, address emotional and spiritual pain caused by their loved one’s passing, and begin the road towards healing. This special care includes support programs, educational information, and counseling.
As you can see, hospice care is not just about end of life care. It’s about embracing each day, spending time with loved ones, and easing through a natural part of life. Our hospice patients receive high-quality services, compassionate care, support, and education. If you would like to learn more about our hospice services at Liberty HomeCare and Hospice Services, visit our site today or call us at 800-999-9883.