Did you know that a fifth of all new lupus cases appear in aging adults over the age of 65? This is important news for family caregivers, so they can be aware that their elderly loved one might develop this serious, yet manageable, disease.

If your aging relative has recently been diagnosed with lupus, there are a lot of things you need to learn about the condition and what the elderly adult will need from you as their family caregiver. One of the most important contributions you can make is to hire a home care services provider for them to help with daily tasks.

Lupus Affects a Senior’s Ability to Live Independently

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects millions of people each year, including aging adults. The disease confuses the body’s immune system, making it attach tissues and organs like the heart, lungs, brain and kidneys. Without treatment, lupus can lead to kidney disease, lung disease, heart disease and arthritis. Lupus can have calm periods as well as flair-ups, so it’s important for family caregivers and seniors to stay on top of symptom management.

Symptoms can be so severe with lupus that seniors are no longer able to live independently. Most seniors are affected with skin rashes, fever, dry eye, aching joints, chest pain and stiffness. Flair-ups can be triggered by things like infections, stress, exposure to the sun, poor diet, lack of exercise and even as a reaction to some medications. It’s important for the doctor to prepare a total treatment plan that includes oral and topical medicines.

How Home Care Services Providers Help Seniors with Lupus

When seniors are living with a lupus flair-up it can render the almost helpless and they are not able to take care of themselves. A home care services provider can assist them with all kinds of daily self-care tasks and also manage the house while they are resting. The home care services provider can do laundry, prepare healthy meals and take care of anything that may stress the aging adult. Home care services provider can remind seniors when to take their medicine and encourage them to get active, too.

Family caregivers cannot always be around to take on full-time care for their aging loved one with lupus. Being alone may not be an option for them either, so seniors really do need an in-home assistant to help them manage their day-to-day life. When the symptoms for lupus are under control, the aging adult can be as active and involved as they want. If there is an increase in lupus symptoms, they know there is a caring and qualified professional at their side to help them through it.

For Home Care Services in Millington TN, please contact the caring staff at Personal Care Services MidSouth today!