Motor Neurone Disease is a life-changing and a progressive illness. We at Visiting Angels understand the emotional and practical challenges an individual and their family members may face living with MND.
What is Motor Neurone Disease?
Did you know: MND currently affects about 5,000 people across the UK. The onset is usually around 60 years of age but sometimes, MND can happen to younger adults.
MND is a rare disease that affects the brain and nerves. The condition affects the ability of nerves to transmit responses to muscles and with time, MND reduces the ability for the individual to move and speak.
With MND, messages from the motor neurones eventually stop reaching the muscles which then leads to weakened muscles.
As motor neurone disease is a progressive disease, the symptoms will intensify over time and someone diagnosed with MND will eventually need full-time live-in care if they are able to continue to remain in their own homes.
Common symptoms of MND
Symptoms of MND do happen gradually and are not obvious at the beginning. However, some early symptoms of MND include:
- Weaknesses in leg or ankle – you may find it difficult to walk.
- Slurred speech.
- A weak grip – you may involuntarily drop things or find it difficult to open things.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Difficulty in stopping yourself from crying or laughing in certain situations.
For more information about Motor Neurone Disease, visit the NHS website. Click here
We have come up with 3 ways on how you can care for your loved one with Motor Neurone Disease.
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Help your loved one cope with fatigue
At the beginning, your loved one is very likely to become exhausted, this is one of the early symptoms of MND. It is important to recognise the signs of fatigue and encourage them to rest as much as possible.
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Keeping them warm
A lot of individuals diagnosed with MND will have the tendency to feel cold. Clothing made from wool can help to retain body heat, so you can look into purchasing warmer clothing for your loved one.
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Ensuring your loved one has the ability to eat and drink
Over time, MND affects the throat which makes it difficult to swallow and to speak. Your loved one may need to have their food blended so it is easier for them to swallow. An experienced Dementia caregiver (click here to view our Dementia Care service) will have a good understanding of nutrition and how smaller meals rather than larger meals throughout the day may be beneficial for your loved one.
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Prepare a tailored motor neurone disease care plan for your loved one
No two people experience the same symptoms with MNS so care plans will need to be individually tailored. At Visiting Angels, we can support you well and help you to remain independent in your own home. Together, we will create a personalised care plan to help your loved one at home. Our dedicated caregiving team are fully trained to provide a wide range of care and support including:
- Assistance with using the toilet, having a shower or eating breakfast.
- Help with daily tasks such as light housework.
- Our caregiving team are very proficient with medication administration. We can help with ensuring your loved ones take their medication or ensuring a supply of medication is always available.
- We can also help with getting out of bed or getting your loved one out of bed.
At Visiting Angels, we can provide a 24 hour home care service so that your loved one can continue to stay at home and would not have to move into a care home.