What do you know about myasthenia gravis? Your dad’s been having a hard time lately. As the day progresses, he finds himself struggling to talk, swallow, or walk around. No one can make sense of what’s going on.
After blood tests and scans, his doctors pinpointed his muscle weakness to this autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis. You’ve never heard of it. What does it mean for him?
June is Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month. It’s a chronic autoimmune disease that affects upwards of 60,000 Americans, usually, men over the age of 50. It’s important to learn as much as you can. What happens with this condition?
What Is Myasthenia Gravis?
Personal Care at Home in Glen Cove, NY: MG Awareness Month
Myasthenia gravis (MG) generally involves muscle weakness in the face and neck, though it can also affect the arms and legs. It’s caused when the body’s immune system attacks the nerves on the muscles that activate the muscles.
People with MG can find it difficult to chew and swallow foods, which increases the risk of aspiration pneumonia and choking. Even breathing can become a challenge with MG.
If it impacts the arms or legs, simple tasks like walking around or gripping an item can become challenging. You might find your dad is unable to step over the side of the tub to take a shower or lift his arms to shampoo his hair or shave his face. Your dad’s hands may be too weak to do simple things like brush and floss his teeth or wipe himself after using the toilet.
Often, the muscle weakness is okay after rest but progressively worsens during the day. It will also come and go in flare-ups every month. Your dad may be fine for several weeks and suddenly experience a flare-up. He needs to stay in touch with his doctor and take medications and perform muscle-strengthening exercises as directed.
Hire Personal Care Attendants
If your dad has been diagnosed with MG, make sure he’s supported at home. When the autoimmune disease flares up, your dad will need help with bathing, dressing, grooming, and hygiene. Personal care at home services are ideal.
Your dad’s personal care attendants can help him take a shower and get dressed. They can help him clean up after using the toilet. If he can’t brush and floss his teeth, they’ll help him complete that essential daily routine. He’ll also have help with dressing and grooming.
He shouldn’t have to struggle to complete routine tasks or put his safety at risk by trying to do it independently. A fall could be devastating, so it’s important that he’s supported at times when he is more likely to fall. Make sure personal care at home aides are available to help him get showered, shaved, dried off, dressed, and ready to start his day.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Personal Care in Glen Cove, NY please contact the caring staff at Brookville Homecare today. 516-802-7722
Sources:
https://myasthenia.org/Professionals/Clinical-Overview-of-MG#:~:text=other%20autoimmune%20disorders.-,Epidemiology,cases%20in%20the%20United%20States.