FCP Live-In provides affordable and comprehensive caregiving services to people diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Our professional support system allows for your loved one to receive daily assistance. We develop customized plans for those afflicted with ALS that help your loved one maintain as much independence as possible while providing the specialized ALS In-Home Care support your loved one needs. Our services include, but are not limited to:

• Personal Care Services: Assist with bathing, personal grooming, dressing, toileting, ensuring medication is taken as scheduled
• Household Services: Meal preparation, light housekeeping, grocery shopping
• Companion Services: Going to doctor appointments, helping your loved one participate in recreational activities or visiting places

If your loved one’s personal care demands are increasing because of ALS, turn to the compassionate team of credentialed caregivers at FCP Live-In. Contact us today to find out more about our services. Call 1 (866) 559-9492.

What to Know About ALS

ALS is a degenerative condition that affects muscles throughout the body and gradually leads to paralysis and death. The incurable disease damages the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that cause the muscles to move. The progressive muscle weakness makes it difficult for a person with ALS to walk, talk, chew, swallow food and breathe, according to the ALS Association.

ALS is also known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” taking its name from Lou Gehrig, the New York Yankees baseball player who brought national attention to ALS after developing the disease in 1939. Gehrig was forced to retire from the sport.

Among the earliest symptoms of ALS are abnormal fatigue and muscle weakness. The ALS Association says that symptoms of the disease often start in a person’s hands, feet or legs before it develops in other parts of the body. As a result, people with ALS experience such problems as:

• Tripping and falling
• Muscle cramps, tight and stiff muscles, and twitches
• Abnormal fatigue in the arms and legs
• Slurred speech
• Difficulty holding things because of weakness in their hands

The disease robs people with ALS of their independence over time. Try as they might to do things for themselves, people with ALS will eventually need caregivers to help them manage basic living skills, such as dressing, grooming and bathing.

Link: http://www.alsa.org/news/archive/lou-gehrigs-disease-put-into.html

New ALS Cases Diagnosed Each Day

About 5,000 Americans receive an ALS diagnosis every year which averages to approximately 15 new cases a day, according to figures from the ALS Association.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that it is difficult to estimate the number of ALS cases in the United States because records on the disease have not been kept nationwide. But, by using three national databases, the CDC estimated that nearly 16,000 people had ALS in 2014.

While the disease can develop at any age, and in all races and ethnic groups, symptoms usually occur in men and women between 55 and 75 years old.

Researchers do not know what causes ALS, but the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports that 5 to 10 percent of all ALS cases involve people who inherited the disease from their parents. The remaining 90 percent of ALS cases are considered, “sporadic,” meaning people develop the disease at random.

Unfortunately, those with ASL live about three to five years after their diagnosis. But, there have been exceptions, such as renown British theoretical physicist, Stephen Hawking, who lived more than 50 years after his ALS diagnosis in 1963 at age 21. Hawking lost his ability to speak and walk and was limited to a wheelchair because of the disease. Hawking died in March 2018 when he was 76 years old. Regardless of longevity, a person with ALS needs continual care. At Live-In Home, we provide services to meet the needs of people in all stages of ALS.

Links:
Link: http://www.alsa.org/about-als/facts-you-should-know.html

Link: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6707a3.htm?s_cid=mm6707a3_e

Link: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Amyotrophic-Lateral-Sclerosis-ALS-Fact-Sheet

Link: https://time.com/5199001/stephen-hawking-als/

Live-In Home Care Benefits People With ALS

Generally, people who develop ALS attempt to remain independent as long as possible. But, the progressive disease causes them to rely more and more on caregivers for help.

Staff at nursing homes or assisted living facilities assigned to multiple residents may find it difficult to give the high-level, one-on-one care that someone with ALS needs each day.

Family members also have difficulty providing care because of the increasing needs of a loved one with ALS. Studies have found that “informal caregivers” (family members, friends or neighbors) who care for patients with ALS experience high levels of physical and emotional distress which is often called, “caregiver burden.”

Because of the high demands, having in-home care benefits both people with the disease and their family members. For one, the person with ALS will not have to leave the comforts of home and move to an unfamiliar setting for care. Also, an in-home team of caregivers understands the unique needs of each person and can deliver comprehensive services to meet those needs.

Live-In Home relieves the “caregivers burden” by offering a range of services that helps families and their loved ones with ALS who are in need of consistent care.

Link for studies on informal caregivers: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5784458/#bibr9-0269216317709965

About FCP Live-In And Our In-Home ALS Care Services

We have provided the ultimate, affordable solution for assisted In-Home ALS Care services since 1997. Our live-in ALS care services agency is committed to providing a unique and customized In-Home“ ALS Care services approach to senior care with the goal of a lifestyle that provides enjoyment for the one in care, and families with peace of mind.  

FCP Live-In is a Live-In Home Care company with over two decades of experience specializing in elderly care needs within the home. Our live-in caregiver staff provides an insurance policy of safe and supportive care, along with a 24/7 professional support system that is there for the client and the live-in caregiver at all times.

For more information about our ALS Care services, contact FCP Live-In today at 1 (866) 559-9492 or please fill out the form below.

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