Unseen Risks in Complex Progressive Diseases
Parkinson Disease
Responding only to current symptoms in progressive diseases ignores potentially serious and avoidable health risks, a good example is Parkinson Disease.
Parkinson Disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder that affects the nervous system, particularly the parts of the brain responsible for controlling movement. While motor symptoms like tremors, stiffness, and slow movements are the most associated with Parkinson Disease, the condition can also cause a significant non motor symptoms that can seriously negatively impact aspects of a person’s health.
Some of the Health Risks are:
- Cognitive and emotional problems: Parkinson Disease can lead to cognitive impairment, such as memory loss, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. It can also cause emotional changes, such as depression, Anxiety, and apathy.
- Sleep disorders: Many people with Parkinson’s disease experience sleep problems, such as insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, and rapid eye movements, sleep behavior disorder, which involves acting out dreams during sleep.
- Gastrointestinal problems: Parkinson disease can affect the digestive system, causing symptoms like constipation, nausea, and Difficulty Swallowing. The latter can result in silent aspiration and eventually pneumonia.
- Urinary problems: Parkinson disease can lead to bladder problems, such as incontinence and urgency.
- Orthostatic Hypotension: This causes a drop in blood pressure when standing , leading to dizziness, light headedness and fainting. Resulting in falls associated with premature death in the elderly.
- Skin problems: Some people with Parkinson’s can develop skin problems like dryness, itching and sweating.
- Fatigue: Example Tiredness which can impact the person’s ability to carry out daily activities.
Parkinson Disease is challenging for both the client and their family. Particularly in the later stages it requires careful monitoring and timely interventions to mitigate these risks.
We have found that a well managed and coordinated Healthcare Team can produce optimal outcomes of complex diseases.
Careable, led by its experienced Registered Nurses, coordinates and manages the entire range of Healthcare providers, from skilled Nurses, Support workers, in coordination with Geriatricians, Neurologists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech language Pathologists, and Dietitians.
Our objective is to preserve Quality of Life for the Client and their loved ones by avoiding health emergencies and hospitalizations.
– Carol Edwards SRN, RN
President Careable Care Management @ Home
COVID-19 Infection Control – Protect your Loved One’s
How Careable can help!
Did you know that Carol Edwards, our President, is an Infection Control Nurse? Infection control is vital for your loved one’s care in these challenging times.
Carol spent over 20 years managing Operating Rooms in the UK and Canada, including the Orthopedic and Arthritic Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. Infection control was essential then and it is now. Only stringent management and education of staff caring for elderly or immunosuppressant clients will reduce or eliminate the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Careable for the last 22 years has provided bespoke solutions to complex health care issues to demanding and discriminating clients. We specialize in the most complex and challenging cases.
Kathleen’s Story: How she found Quality of Life for her Dad
My dad, John, suffered a severe and life-changing spinal cord injury in October 2016. By March of 2017, he had been in Complex Care for several months. The facility staff were doing their best given my dad’s very complicated case but I was troubled by the many medical and quality of life issues that weren’t being adequately addressed. Even though I was very pro-active about my dad’s care, I couldn’t make any real progress for him and I became frustrated and disheartened. My husband desperately searched Google for a care manager and emailed a number of companies. Carol at Careable Inc. (located in Toronto, Ontario Canada) got back to us right away. We had a reassuring conversation on the phone and within a week she met with us in Guelph Ontario, my dad and my dad’s head nurse to further discuss his case, problem solve and develop care and action plans that could be managed long distance by email, texting and phone calls.
Client Testimonials
Navigating the complex workings of Long Term Care placement was a challenge greater than we as a family could manage. Just when we thought we had it figured out and done everything right, the “system” would put yet another road block in our way. We needed someone who understood how the bureaucracy functioned – thankfully we found Careable Inc. and Carol Edwards. Carols insight into the workings of the CCAC organization along with her patient, persistent follow-up got us the face to face meeting we needed. It was amazing how quickly the “system” moved when it realized that across the table sat a very knowledgeable navigator guiding a very determined family. They finally heard and understood that it was us who knew best what mom needed.
In Carol Edwards we found the strong advocate that mom needed and the partner our family needed to champion our struggle.
Thanks Carol, all of us appreciate your efforts.