Assisted Living: Is it the Right Choice for Your Loved One with Parkinson's Disease?
If you’ve been caring for a loved one with Parkinson’s disease, you understand that, as the condition progresses, the challenges become much greater for the caregiver. As difficult as it is to admit, there will come a time when home care simply isn’t realistic when it comes to their health and safety – or for your own emotional and physical well-being. When that time comes, moving your loved one to an assisted living community can be the ideal solution.
The Benefits of Assisted Living Care for Parkinson’s
Because Parkinson’s is a progressive and degenerative disease, your loved one can quickly become confined and restricted in a home environment. However, in assisted living, under the care of a staff trained to aid those with Parkinson’s, plus living spaces designed with wider doorways, hallways with handrails, etc., your loved one can experience more freedom, increased safety, greater socialization and as a result, a higher quality of life.
In the right assisted living setting, such as those which are part of every Aspenwood Company senior community, your loved one can flourish as they get the care and support they need, now and in the future.
Your loved one will enjoy:
A full, enriching lifestyle. When your loved one moves to an assisted living facility within a senior living community like The Aspenwood Company, they can enjoy the same opportunities as independent living residents. That includes chef-prepared meals, housecleaning, weekly linen service, a full slate of activities, special groups dedicated to helping Parkinson’s families, complimentary scheduled transportation to medical appointments and more. In this environment, no one feels isolated.
Attention to maintaining mobility. Most importantly, those with Parkinson’s disease can benefit greatly from the regular exercise options typically offered in assisted living, many of which are designed especially for people with mobility challenges and those who are at high risk for falls. In fact, the American Parkinson Disease Association highly recommends exercise to decrease the impact of movement-related symptoms.
Support with tasks when needed. As Parkinson’s progresses, your loved one will likely need increased assistance with everyday tasks. In assisted living facilities such as The Aspenwood Company communities, help will be available to simplify activities of daily living and ensure medications are taken, thanks to an on-site nurse. And these services and more can be tailored to meet your loved one’s individual needs.
How Some Senior Communities Plan for Future Needs
Recognizing that your loved one’s needs will increase, it’s also important to think about how care can be handled long-term. In light of that concern, you may want to gravitate toward senior communities that also offer levels of care beyond assisted living. Many of The Aspenwood Company’s senior communities offer memory care, and in Houston, Texas, The Village of River Oaks also offers Optimized Care as part of its Live Life Well® Signature Care program. In this program, your loved one can receive additional support and personalized attention to manage specific needs, all administered in a home-like setting on a dedicated floor of the assisted living community.
Your Loved One with Parkinson’s Deserves the Very Best
Knowing that your loved one is receiving excellent care from compassionate people is a family’s greatest desire. In The Aspenwood Company’s assisted living communities, that kind of care is provided every day. We hope you’ll explore our locations to get a feel for all they can offer to help your loved one live a full, happy life. When you’re ready to talk, contact us, and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.