Family Caregiver – Part 1 – Caring for the disabled elderly with Parkinson’s

We’ve been married for 32 years, so there were good times before she got sick. I don’t have titles or titles that would allow me to offer these tips for caring for Parkinson’s disease, except that of being my husband’s family caregiver. For the last 12 years we have lived with this disease. At first he was only mildly affected, but over time his illness has progressed to being a wheelchair patient. During the first 6 years I was the only caregiver for him, living and knowing his limitations that changed from day to day.

He was 71 years old, I, 22 years younger, was 49. (He is now 82, I am 60). My career came to an abrupt halt because I stayed home to take care of my husband. Desperate, I frantically sought help to cover his medications and help adapt the house to his needs. In all the places I tried, there was either no program to help us or we only had dollars to be eligible. Finally, one day I made the right contact at the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Agency on Aging for our county.

I had tried there the year before and was told there was no program to help. I called there over and over every few months. On my last call, I coincidentally scheduled it at the start of a new program and was able to get my husband signed up. The program was not just for Parkinson’s patients, but for any elderly person who might otherwise be placed in a nursing home. The goal of this program is to keep the elderly patient in her home, outside of a facility, for as long as possible. We have been enrolled for 6 years. This program has been a life saver, a life changer.

I am still the family caregiver, but this resource

* has provided us with a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) to help me care for him and allow me to make up a few hours a day on my own.

*helped us make adaptations to our house so you can use the bathroom and stairs.

* has given you prescription drug coverage.

I strongly encourage you to seek help from this agency if you are or have an older person in need of help. There are other agencies that can help in different ways. Keep knocking on doors, making phone calls.

Our age difference has benefited this relationship and how we are able to deal with the demands of his condition. If I were older, I wouldn’t be physically able to take care of him at home. The weird part about it, if I was the one that was sick, because I’m not a senior (yet), I wouldn’t be eligible for these programs. Some of you may be in this position, and I don’t know what advice to offer you.

We hope you find the help you need. By the way, being the family caregiver in my home also includes two black labrador retrievers over the age of 11 who are on medication. Could the family help? We do not have children. My husband has four children from his previous marriage, only one of whom remains in contact with him. He took care of his mother-in-law until she passed away a few years ago. He knows what taking care of his father entails, but doesn’t have time due to his other commitments.

I try to keep her informed when her condition changes and she offers moral support. We all seem to have at one time or another the responsibility of being a family caregiver. Dealing with his various conditions has given me reason to create some interesting articles that help me take care of him.