About Motor Neurone Disease
The key to delivering expert support to patients with MND lies in understanding the condition. If someone you love is affected by this condition, getting to know it a little better can help you to better understand their needs and help them to make the right decisions in terms of their ongoing care.
MND is a relatively rare condition affecting approximately 1,200 people in Australia today with around 400 diagnoses each year. This neurodegenerative disease attacks the upper and lower motor neurones which leads to a loss of muscular function and eventually weakness and muscle wastage. Risk of MND increases significantly over the age of 40 and most commonly affects those aged 5-75 years. MND affects men more commonly than women, with men twice as likely to receive a diagnosis.
There are a number of different types of MND including;
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)- The most common form of MND, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease in the US.
- Progressive Bulbar Palsy (PBP)- This affects around 25% of people diagnosed, and involves both the upper and lower motor neurones. Symptoms may include difficulty speaking or swallowing.
- Progressive Muscular Atrophy (PMA)- This mainly damages the lower motor neurones and is quite rare. Early symptoms include weakness or clumsiness of the hands.
- Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS)- This rare form of MND involving the upper motor neurones only, and can cause weakness in the lower limbs, as well as uncoordinated hands and speech problems.
The symptoms of motor neurone disease tend to manifest over a span of weeks or months. They tend to occur on one side of the body at first and grow progressively worse.
Early symptoms of most forms of MLD include slurred speech, difficulty lifting the arms, uncoordinated hands and a weakened grip as well as difficulty walking due to weak muscles in the ankles. Damage to the motor neurones prevents patients from being able to control muscles and can progress over time, causing symptoms to spread to other parts of the body and the illness becomes increasingly debilitating.
Eventually, patients may find moving, talking, swallowing and even breathing more difficult. With the right care and support, however, patients can be made happy and comfortable while medical equipment can help to mitigate the loss of muscle function.
That’s where we come in!
At Home Caring Lifestyle and Health we understand just how daunting and upsetting a diagnosis of MLD can be. We understand how bleak the future can seem when faced with the prospect of a degenerative disease in which symptoms can grow progressively more debilitating.
Nonetheless, we do our best to provide the light of hope in what can seem like a dark and scary tunnel. We understand that patients and their loved ones need effective treatment on a range of fronts that is flexible and adaptable to patients’ changing needs.
This is why each and every member of our care team is fully trained to deliver quality care to patients with MLD where they can feel as comfortable and independent as possible… At home. We work collaboratively with patients, their families and their friends to create a support plan which is individually tailored to the needs of each and every patient, allowing them to do more of the things that bring them joy and make them feel as happy, healthy and, well, normal as possible.
Our support assistants are fully trained in every aspect of delivering support to our patients with MND. They offer a wide range of different kinds of assistance in direct accordance with our patients’ individual needs. They are as adept in the monitoring of medication and pain relief solutions as they are in helping out around the home, preparing meals and administering personal care. They can attend to patients’ more sensitive needs such as dressing, washing and visiting the toilet while also giving them practical support in managing their symptoms. They can also help patients to come to terms with their changing needs and the realities of the condition as it worsens such as guiding them through options like feeding and breathing tubes. This is all done with the very same combination of professionalism, empathy, compassion and discretion.
We also understand that patients’ needs often extend far beyond the practical. We understand that even a simple conversation about the weather, sports, films or other shared interests can be every bit as effective a treatment as administering the right form of pain relief. We understand that patient care also encompasses providing emotional support and companionship and human connection at a time when patients can feel very alone and vulnerable.
While MND has a variety of common symptoms we understand that every patient’s experience is unique and we endeavour to provide care that looks past the condition and treats the individual. That’s why we ensure that each patient is matched to their very own care provider who is chosen specifically for them. Someone who not only has the skills and training to provide them with the very best care but whose personality will be highly compatible with their own.
We work tirelessly to provide our patients with an individualised scheme of personal care in line with their medical, personal and logistical needs. Our care packages are completely bespoke and can be adapted as patients’ needs change. Some of the MLD care and support services we offer include;
- A full assessment which informs the ongoing care plan for each patient.
- Visiting care that can be adapted as patients’ MND progresses and their needs change, supporting increased household maintenance and increasingly complicated medication regimens.
- Personal care that is tailored to the unique needs of each individual patient.
- Access to a specialist support team who are highly trained in administering care to patients with MLD and helping them to better understand the complexities of the condition.
- A range of visit lengths from short visits to long visits, night care or even a full-time live-in carer to administer 24 hour support.
- Support with important social activities and lifestyle enhancement to allow patients to go about their lives with as much normalcy as their condition will allow.
- A dedicated and passionate care team with over 20 years’ experience in the care sector.
- Specialist support and expertise whenever you need it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
About us
We understand that entrusting your health or that of a loved one in the care of another requires a huge leap of faith. That’s why we have spent decades working tirelessly to earn the trust of our patients, their families and their loved ones. With over 20 years’ experience in the care industry we are perfectly placed to give patients with MND the very best standard of care allowing them to lead their best lives regardless of the condition’s symptoms.
Everything we do is founded on these simple values;
- Care: A client-focused approach which puts our patients first.
- Quality: We constantly strive to bring the highest quality to our service and build value for our clients.
- Innovation: Great care should never stand still. That’s why we’re committed to an innovative approach that is always striving to better meet patients’ needs.
- Excellence: Our goal is always to exceed clients’ expectations through exceptional care and customer service.
If you’d like to know more about how our extensive range of treatments can help you or someone you love with MND, get in touch with us today!
