How to Help Your Elderly Loved One Manage Their Chronic Disease

According to the National Council on Aging, up to 80% of older adults in the United States have one or more diagnosed chronic disease

People with chronic diseases who learn how to manage their symptoms can improve their quality of life and reduce their health care costs. This article will help you assist a loved one who has a chronic disease.

Understand the Disease and Its Impact

Ask your loved one’s physician for information about the diagnosis, the impact it may have on the patient’s day to day life, the treatment options and their implications, and self-care instructions.

Be aware that when your loved one is first diagnosed with an illness it may be difficult for them to take in all this information. If your loved one has problems with vision, hearing, or memory and cognition, it may be even more difficult for them to understand the implications of the diagnosis. An advocate, such as a Care is There Lifestyle Coordinator or a family member, is very important in these situations.

Learn Your Loved One’s Goals for Living with the Chronic Condition

The doctor will offer treatment options and should explain the implications of each option. The appropriate choice for your loved one will depend on their goals for their life, and their choice may not be the same as the choice you might make. It’s important to clearly understand your loved one’s preferences and to help them manage their disease in accordance with their goals.

Understand the Treatment Plan and Its Implications

The treatment plan may including taking new medications; monitoring weight or vital signs; having periodic medical tests and appointments; or watching for specific symptoms..

Often, chronic disease necessitates a lifestyle change, such as adopting a different diet, changing activity levels, or using medical equipment. Change is difficult, and your loved one may need support to integrate the change into their life. Local departments of health or Area Agencies on Aging sometimes offer programs teaching techniques for making such changes and ways to handle the feelings that typically accompany living with chronic disease. One such program is the Chronic Disease Self Management Program, which was designed by Stanford University and is supported by the National Council on Aging. Often, disease-specific support groups are available.

Develop a Chronic Disease Self-Management Plan and Identify Helpful Supports

Once your loved one has chosen a treatment plan, help them identify their next steps to implement the plan and what supports would be helpful. For example:

If exercise is part of the treatment plan, signing up for an appropriate exercise class may help and having an exercise buddy could make it easier to stick with the program.
If a diet change is recommended, having a consultation with a dietician and trying new recipes with a friend could be helpful.
If your loved one doesn’t drive, they will need transportation to appointments.
If your loved one is prescribed new medication, they will need a process or a person to order their medications, a system to remind them to take the medications and to detect missed or extra doses, and a way to monitor side effects of the medications.
If vital signs need to be monitored, in-home devices may be available or home health programs may be available.
If your loved one has memory problems, they will need someone to remind them of appointments, attend appointments with them, and carefully monitor their treatment program and their self management. Depending on the disease, they may need to move to a residence that provides consistent monitoring.

Ask the Doctor How to Recognize and Respond to Warning Signs

Ask the doctor how to recognize the warning signs that your loved one’s condition is worsening, and what you should do to respond. Find out at what point you should you take certain self-care steps, or schedule a doctor’s appointment, or call for emergency responders such as an ambulance.

How Care is There can help:

If you live at a distance from your loved one, if it is difficult for you to leave your workplace or your family to assist your loved one, if your loved one needs help but won’t accept it from you, or if your client with a chronic disease needs more assistance than you can provide through your profession, Care is There Geriatric Care Management can help! We can:

Accompany your loved one to doctor’s appointments and bring medication lists, medical history, symptoms, etc. Remind the health care providers of the purpose of the visit, and clarify and record next steps.
Coordinate communication among multiple healthcare providers
Help your loved one implement lifestyle changes
Help obtain medical equipment or devices and ensure they are maintained properly
Identify community resources to support the management of your loved one’s chronic disease
Maintain a medical history record for your loved one including medications, medical history, and symptoms
Visit your loved one often to check on their well-being and their progress
Be present during visits to the emergency room and bring medication lists, medical history, symptoms, etc.
Organize and be present during transitions from the hospital to home, rehabilitation facilities, or long term care facilities
Solve problems as they arise
Keep loved ones informed

Resources for chronic disease:

NCOA - National Council on Aging

Next Steps

Does your older loved one need help managing a chronic condition? Have complications from a condition impacted quality of life or caused emergencies?
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Contact Care is There today for a free consultation!

Central Virginia: 434.326.5323
Toll Free: 800.434.1633
Email: Info@CareisThere.com