Each year, 5,600 new cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, are diagnosed, which is about 15 new cases per day. American veterans, especially those who served during the Gulf War, are at high risk for developing ALS. According to the ALS Association, about 93% of patients diagnosed with this neurodegenerative disease are Caucasian and 60% of them are male. The average age of the patient who gets diagnosed with ALS is 55, but people generally develop the disease between ages 40 and 70. ALS is a seriously debilitating disease that interferes with everyday living, but A-1 Home Care is here to help ameliorate the symptoms of Lou Gehrig’s disease and improve the quality of life for seniors and their families.
Outlook for Patients with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease
Many ALS patients live at least three years after the diagnosis, so what will life look like for you and your elderly loved ones? Early symptoms of ALS will affect your loved one’s ability to walk and perform daily tasks like going up the stairs or cooking. As ALS spreads, if it affects the medulla (which is the lower half of the brainstem) that controls the body’s autonomic functions like breathing, your loved one will have trouble speaking, swallowing, breathing, chewing, salivating, and controlling his laughter or tears. Symptoms vary from person to person, depending on the area of the brain affected by Lou Gehrig’s disease. The aim of 24-hour in-home care is to make life as comfortable as possible for the ALS patient and the entire family. Round-the-clock care entails assistance with cooking, cleaning, chores, bathing, hygiene, personal care, companion care, and more.
