How Can My Aging Parent Live at Home with a Chronic Condition

By Andy Niska | January 25, 2018 | Comments Off on How Can My Aging Parent Live at Home with a Chronic Condition

May was worried about her elderly mother’s ability to continue living at home. She spent as much time at her mother’s house as she could, but there were many hours where it was just impossible to do so. May’s mother was struggling with arthritis, which made it hard for her to bathe and dress herself. She was able to succeed in making simple snacks and heating up meals, but complex cooking was now beyond her abilities. May worried that she would have to move her mother to a long-term care facility because of her increasing reliance on assistance. However, after consulting with her mother’s doctor, May learned about senior care assistance programs.

 

Senior Care in Spokane Valley WA: Aging in Place with a Chronic Condition

Senior Care in Spokane Valley WA: Aging in Place with a Chronic Condition

Elderly adults are at a higher risk of developing chronic illnesses. Some of the symptoms are mild, while others can be quite debilitating. Chronic illnesses are those that are not caused by a bacteria or virus and have no cure. Their symptoms can be managed usually with medication, therapy, and sometimes surgeries. Left untreated, chronic illnesses can lead to devastating consequences to an elderly person’s health and wellness. Adult children and family caregivers are left wondering how their aging parent can continue living in their own home when they are dealing with a chronic condition.

Common Chronic Conditions in the Elderly.

Well over half of the elderly adult population in the United States is living with at least one chronic condition. This means that seniors are managing to live their lives with various levels of symptoms for different diseases and conditions, ranging from mild to more severe. Of course, a senior’s ability to continue living in their own home depends on the diagnosis and how the condition is manifesting, as well as other health complications that may exist.

While there is no real predictor of who will develop what chronic illnesses, a lot of it is due to genetics, family history, and lifestyle choices. Common chronic conditions in seniors include:

  • High blood pressure.
  • Diabetes.
  • Arthritis.
  • Kidney problems.
  • Macular degeneration.
  • Glaucoma.
  • Cataracts.
  • Lung disease.
  • Osteoporosis.
  • Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
  • Parkinson’s disease.
  • Coronary heart disease and heart failure.
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  • Depression.

 

The good news is that if an elderly adult receives a diagnosis of a chronic condition, it doesn’t automatically signal an end to independence. There’s also no real reason that they need to start looking at a long-term care facility. Many seniors live comfortably in their own homes with chronic conditions as long as they and their family members set up a good support system. This usually includes regularly schedule family member visits, senior care assistance, community senior services and other outside service groups. Elderly adults with chronic conditions can live at home after a diagnosis, but before the condition develops into something that requires them to move permanently.

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Spokane Valley, WA, please contact the friendly staff at Love at Home Senior Care, today. Call (509) 204-4088

 

 

Source:

https://www.ncoa.org/blog/10-common-chronic-diseases-prevention-tips/

Andy Niska
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Posted in Health Issues, Senior Care in Spokane Valley WA and tagged