Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Month takes place in March of every year. During this time, many organizations including AmeriBest Home Care Agency in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, PA, shine a light on the struggles faced by people living with MS. In order to care for your loved one, you may find having a caregiver home health aid improves the individual’s quality of life. It also helps to learn as much as you can about how MS manifests and what you can do to make your life, or that of a loved one, better.
An Invisible Disease
To look at a person with MS, you might never know there was anything wrong with them. The symptoms often remain invisible, and not everyone is vocal about their situation. Some days they may have a flare-up, and a week or month later the symptoms subside. It’s not a contagious condition. Researchers aren’t fully aware of the triggers for MS and continue seeking answers.
MS A Closer Look
When a person’s immune reaction damages protective sheaths around nerves in the brain, Multiple Sclerosis begins.
When MS appears it’s often in a young adult. Nonetheless, Multiple Sclerosis is age “blind”-it can be diagnosed at any time. There are various signs of MS, including
- Visual changes or problems
- Numbness
- Bladder or digestive issues
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Muscle or joint pain
Multiple Sclerosis is rarely fatal. While new medications exist to help control the frequency of MS symptoms, there is no known cure.
Worsening Progression
For some with MS, their condition continues to progress with more severe symptoms. As Multiple Sclerosis advances, it severely impacts every aspect of a person’s life, often shortening it by up to 7 years. Some families find it hard to help such individuals alone.
That’s where caregiving for someone with MS can use helping hands, namely by seeking a top home care agency in their area. AmeriBest ranks highly among Home Health Aide Services in Harrisburg, PA, for our dedication, the quality of our care, and our compassionate aids.
Consider the difficulty of attending to the safety and well-being of an individual who
- Cannot talk or walk
- Struggles with breathing
- Experiences spasms or tremors
- Has balance problems, creating a fall risk
- Develops paralysis or partial immobility
- Illustrates difficulty with swallowing
- Show signs of memory loss
While not all people with severe MS develop all of the symptoms, these represent the range of potential problems ahead.
Coping & Helping
There’s no question that people with MS and their families experience ongoing stress, worry, fear, and sometimes guilt. As you understand what a person is experiencing, you can find the best possible course of care, one where you’re supported too. From providing transportation to medical appointments and medication reminders to helping with everyday chores, a home caregiver aid is a support unit.
You don’t have to try to do everything by yourself. Reach out to the professionals at
AmeriBest Home Care by filling out our contact form or by email: info@ameribest.org. You can also call one of our two offices:
Philadelphia, PA 215-925-3313
Harrisburg, PA 717-545-2920
or 1-800-HOMECARE