If your senior loved one has developed Parkinson’s, you and your family has probably heard about a number of treatment options. While there are many medical treatments available for seniors with Parkinson’s, natural treatments may also be a good option. To help you understand some alternative treatments, the senior care experts at Home Care Assistance in Mississauga discuss several natural ways to reduce Parkinson’s symptoms.
1. Stretching
Seniors with Parkinson’s frequently experience stiff and uncomfortable muscles. To help reduce some muscle tension, have your loved one reach his or her arms out and lay his or her hands flat on the wall. From there, have your loved one extend and retract his or her arms for a full minute. Then, have your loved one turn and extend his or her arms backwards to touch the wall. Both of these stretches give your loved one a way to relieve some stiffness in the upper back, shoulders, and arms.
2. Reduce Protein
Because too much protein can inhibit certain Parkinson’s medications for muscle tremors, you may consider having your loved one adopt a vegetarian diet. If your elderly loved one is not willing to give up meat, he or she may also limit his or her protein intake by only having meat at one meal every day. Have your loved one’s Parkinson’s caregiver in Mississauga prepare healthy meals that are full of nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and legumes to help ensure your loved one doesn’t feel deprived without meat.
3. Balance Exercises
As one of the primary symptoms of Parkinson’s is difficulty with balance, adopting certain daily exercises may help your loved one maintain his or her sense of equilibrium. Using a metronome to help your loved one walk at a slow and steady pace, ask your relative to take large steps, practicing proper heel to toe form, while going down a clear hallway. You may also ask your loved one to focus on standing up straight to help improve his or her posture and balance.
4. Easy-to-Navigate Environment
Seniors with Parkinson’s frequently experience a shuffling gait, which puts them at risk for having their shoes snag on loose cords, cables, or area rugs. Likewise, difficulty maintaining their balance can increase seniors’ chances of falling. To help your loved one navigate the home safely and independently, clear stray objects from the floors and add mobility aids throughout the house. Grab bars installed in bathrooms and bedrooms can be especially helpful when your loved one is trying to bathe, get dressed, and sit or stand.
For seniors with mobility challenges like Parkinson’s, a professional in-home caregiver can make living safely and independently at home easier. At Home Care Assistance, our experienced caregivers are expertly trained to provide mobility assistance and safety monitoring, as well as help with a variety of daily tasks, like cleaning, cooking, and bathing. Additionally, we also offer senior home care options for a range of conditions, including dementia and Alzheimer’s care in Mississauga. To learn more about our care options, reach out to a Care Manager at 905-337-1200 and schedule a free no-obligation consultation.