As Jane Austen once said, “There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” And for anyone with a chronic condition, like multiple sclerosis (MS), remaining as comfortable as possible and as safe as possible, is essential.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a first step should be to obtain the support of a professional home care agency with specific expertise in MS-related concerns, who can offer an in-home safety assessment and make the appropriate recommendations for alterations to the home. This can help make home be a safe, comfortable refuge, rather than a hazardous setting.
Multiple sclerosis can make getting around difficult, and because everyday tasks — including leisure activities — can cause exhaustion more quickly in individuals with MS, implementing particular changes to the home environment may help conserve energy and increase independence.
A few examples include:
- Replace thick carpeting with smooth, nonslip flooring for easier mobility
- Place grab bars in the bathroom
- Move furniture to widen pathways throughout the home
- Add safety devices to the tub or shower such as a handheld shower head, a slip-resistant bathmat, and a tub seat
- Consider adding a bed rail to provide support with changing sleep positions
- Replace knobs throughout the home with handles, which are easier to manage
CareFor can provide home alteration guidelines and create customized care plans to ensure your loved one’s household is a more convenient place for independence. Just a few of the many other services to help enhance the quality of life for those living with MS symptoms include:
- Expert care management services
- Planning and preparing healthy, delicious meals
- Light housekeeping and laundry
- Help with personal care needs, such as bathing, dressing, and using the restroom
- Safe transportation to medical appointments, procedures, and community outings
- Running errands, such as picking up prescriptions and grocery shopping
- Offering pleasant companionship, engagement in exercise programs, conversations, community activities, and favorite hobbies
- Medication reminders to ensure medications are taken as recommended
- Safe ambulation to prevent falls
- And many others, based on each individual’s unique needs
To find out more about in-home care for the elderly in San Antonio and the surrounding areas, contact CareFor at (512) 338-4533. Our in-home care, provided by expert caregivers, can help those living with MS remain in the comfort of home while enjoying life to the fullest each day.