The multidisciplinary care model brings together a team of health care professionals specially trained to address the needs of people living with ALS, allowing them to receive care from each discipline they need during a single visit. The ALS Association collaborates with experienced ALS clinicians across the country to help ensure people living with ALS have access to this type of specialized care.
People with ALS and their caregivers who participated in a recent ALS Focus survey said that telehealth appointments improved their quality of life by saving them time and money, and that the appointments are just as good as in-person health care visits.
Connecting ALS recently sat down with Ann Larson to learn more about her experience as an ALS caregiver for her beloved husband Dave, and better understand the challenges she encountered during their three-year journey with the disease.
When your loved one receives a diagnosis of ALS, you transition into a new role as a caregiver. This may happen gradually over time, or quickly, catching you off guard and possibly unprepared. Regardless of where you are in your caregiving journey, who better to accept advice, guidance and emotional support from than other families and caregivers who are living through similar experiences?
I can’t will the leaves to hold on to the tree for much longer, I know that. Soon, we will all have to let go. But for now, in the month of Thanksgiving, we just hang on. We continue to thank God for the gift of time and each other. But when the day comes and her spirit no longer fills that room, I surely will never be the same.
My husband's ALS diagnosis didn’t explain the symptoms I was seeing. I searched the internet late at night and concluded that he also had Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Symptoms of FTD include a loss of empathy and executive function, an increase in inappropriate actions, a lack of judgement and inhibition.
The Association provides free online access to a variety of options, including publications, videos, books, and informative websites that provide a wealth of easy-to-access information on important topics relevant for people living with ALS and their caregivers.
The Letters family has graciously shared different perspectives of their family’s very personal journey with ALS on our blog throughout the past year. In recognition of National Family Caregivers Month, Patty Letters was kind enough to tell her side of the story living as an ALS caregiver.
Only those living through the experience first-hand truly understand the challenges of being a full-time caregiver, particularly for someone living with ALS. The ability to complete basic daily tasks can be overwhelming and the need for help is great.
Adequate nutrition helps maintain energy stores, supports a strong immune system, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. But the demands of caregiving can put healthy meals on the backburner. Here are some tactics to simplify mealtimes while still eating healthy.