Understanding the condition What Is Huntington's Disease?
Huntington's Disease is a rare genetic disease that causes a progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. The disease will cause restrictions in movement, psychiatric and personality disorders as well as cognitive issues.
It is an inherited condition that can be passed down from parent to child via a dominant gene.
What ages are affected by Huntington's Disease?
Symptoms can develop at any time and usually first appear in people in their 30s and 40s. It can affect younger people (before the age of 20) though this is classed as 'juvenile Huntington's Disease', which can display different symptoms and progress faster.
Causes:
Huntington's disease is caused by a single defective gene. This gene is on chromosome 4, one of 23 chromosomes that carry a human's entire genetic code. It is a genetic disease and the defect can be passed from parent to child. Though the exact cause is understood, there is currently no known cure for the condition.
Symptoms:
- The symptoms of Huntington's disease can be physical, psychiatric and cognitive.
- Muscles become rigid and hard to control.
- Involuntary movements and writhing.
- Poor balance and posture.
- Difficulty with speech and swallowing.
- An inability to 'find' certain words.
- Abnormal eye movements.
- Obsessive, possessive behaviour or actions.
- A lack of awareness of actions, behaviours or consequences.
- Slowness in thought processes and taking in new information.
- Tiredness, loss of energy and insomnia.
- Being irritable, angry, sad and withdrawn.
- Depression and social withdrawal.
Changes in personality:
One aspect that can be especially difficult for loved ones is the changes in the temperament of Huntington's patients. It can make people irritable, frustrated, angry, stubborn and often violent. Even if they had no previous history of being that way before. It's one area where having physical and emotional support in the form of a home can be a real difference-maker.
Types of Motor Neurone Disease:
Adult-onset Huntington's disease: The most common form, usually showing symptoms in the 30s to 40s.
Juvenile Huntington's disease: A rarer form that affects children and teenagers.
Treatment for Huntington's disease:
There is currently no cure for Huntington's disease, however, medication and ongoing testing and examinations can lessen the symptoms of movement restriction and aid with the psychiatric and cognitive disorders associated with the condition.
Medicines will be recommended by your doctor or medical specialist. These will change through the course of the disease and the intended aim of their application.
Prescription drugs will likely be applied to control movement: to free up rigid muscles or control involuntary movements or jerking.
Antipsychotic drugs may also be prescribed to control the impulses, urges and mood swings that can be associated with the disease.
Therapies can be applied to improve certain aspects that are affected by Huntington's disease.
These may include a psychologist or psychotherapist for behaviour issues.
A speech therapist may assist with speaking, eating and swallowing. Physical therapists can help develop safe exercises to enhance strength and physical control which occupational therapists may find ways to make everyday living a little easier through the use of tools or devices in the home.
Private, reliable support: Home Carers To Help With Huntington's Disease
A quick Google search will show that in many cases, people with Huntington's disease often end up in care homes, away from family and loved ones, especially as the disease progresses.
This does not have to be the case.
Provided you have care staff who are correctly trained to understand the physical, psychological and emotional challenges that come with the disease, then care can be conducted in the comfort of your own home.
The Great Care Company believes strongly in the importance of keeping families together and allowing loved ones who may have taken on the role of carers to have a break. It's important to be able to enjoy life and do the things we want to do for ourselves, without guilt or duty stopping us.
From the early onset of Huntington's disease to the more advanced stages, we can provide carers who will work with you, in line with all medical advice to make life a little easier.
This may include basic home help such as cooking, cleaning and hygiene assistance to more advanced things like medication administration, emotional support and physical therapies.
We know how hard it can be on loved ones and relatives of those with Huntington's disease. This is why we provide an affordable, reliable care service that will come and look after you in your own home.
You set the hours, the days and pick the services you want. You can even have short-term help or around the clock care. We aim to put everything in place as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Putting you in control: What Can Huntington's Disease Home Care Include?
Personal Hygiene Assistance
It can be a little embarrassing for loved ones to take care of intimate things like washing and bathing. Our carers will help with the dignity that you should expect.
Setting Appointments & Schedules
There can be a lot to take care of with things like prescriptions, appointments, administrative issues and keeping treatment times can be a little difficult. We can assist with all aspects of keeping treatments within allotted times as well as assisting with their administration.
Therapy & Medication
It is important to give the correct amounts of medication at the set times as well as to keep routines for therapies. These may include speech exercises, physical therapy or exercises. All of which our cares will help with.
Shopping, Meal Prep & Feeding
We can work with you on every aspect of food and hydration. From meal planning and shopping to cooking, washing up and helping with feeding. We will ensure that you keep to your budget whilst getting nutritionally-rich food for you and your loved ones.
Fixed Hours Or Around The Clock Care
A major advantage of the home care packages we offer is that you can tailor them to suit you. We know that Huntington's disease will have different stages and you can adjust the care you receive. Ranging from specific services on set hours and days to full live-in care.
Housekeeping & Laundry
Sometimes it's the basic things we need some help with. Care means that keeping the home tidy and doing things like bed changes and washing up have to take a back seat. We can arrange for help with these tasks, as often as you need us to.
Social Life & Emotional Needs
Having interests, hobbies and a social life can be very beneficial to a person with Huntington's disease. We'll work with loved ones to facilitate activities such as days out, shopping trips, socialising and religious activities. Keeping you socially connected to the outside world.
Companionship & Support
Huntington's provides unique challenges for family members, both in terms of being a carer and the concern over the nature of the hereditary condition and loved ones. Know that we are here to support you one hundred per cent.
Where we cover: Huntington's Disease Carers In Lincolnshire & Yorkshire
The Great Care Company works across Lincolnshire & Yorkshire to provide the very best home carers. We have central offices in the following areas:
Lincolnshire
Yorkshire
If your town or village is not listed but you do live in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire then we can almost certainly arrange carers to come to you.
Feel free to get in touch with our friendly carers and we'll arrange everything you need to get the care you deserve.
Making Home Care Affordable. How Much Do Huntington's Disease Home Carers Cost?
The Great Care Company provides custom plans built around your needs, without hidden extras or unexpected expenses.
Unlike care homes, we tailor each service to the individual. It is important to understand the progressive nature of diseases like Huntington's and provide adaptable support when it is required.
Feel free to chat with our amazing team and work out the best, most affordable package for you.
A little more about The Great Care Company
What makes us the best home care provider in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire?
We understand Huntington's: The care required, the treatments and the complications that come with it for family members.
Our unique client-carer pairing system allows the most suitable carer staff to match with our clients.
We're a five-star rated, award-winning home care provider. We set the bar in the home care industry.
We provide exceptional staff training. With ongoing and advanced training at our own expense, never at that of our clients.
Additional care staff will be provided for free so you are always covered. We want to ensure that you know the carers who come to you and all events like holidays and sick days are covered.
No restrictions will be imposed on your personal life. Home care means we work around you, we do not expect you to change your routines or can be denied access to your loved ones and pets.
Mental well-being and emotional support are vital to helping with Huntington's disease. We are here to listen, reassure and help find solutions for those with the disease and their loved ones.
We want you to be in control of the services, hours and days that you need assistance with. If the situation changes, we will work with you to find a more suitable care package.
We respect that every person has a different budget and we'll work with you to provide services that suit yours. We'll even let you know if there are grants of financial support you may be entitled to so you can pursue those.
The Great Care Company treats our care staff well. They are the backbone of the company and we understand that treating them well permeates into them being better carers and happier individuals.
As a company, we are experienced in looking after a wide and complicated array of conditions, diseases and illnesses in adults. This drives us to be the very best and gives us a broad knowledge base to provide the best carers in the industry.
We know how important it is to see familiar faces that you know. We provide consistent care staff that you will feel comfortable around.
The Great Care Company values respect. From our care staff to those running the company and for each and every one of our clients and their families. We want to make the world a better place by providing the best levels of care and making everyone involved feel valued.
The Great Care Company began with a very simple ethos: To treat everyone in our care the way we'd like to see our own loved ones treated.
It's a simple philosophy that drives us to provide unparalleled home care without compromise.
Talk to us
Please feel free to get in touch with our helpful team of home care experts.
We're happy to answer any questions you may have and work with you to put a care package together that suits your needs exactly.
Simply call or message us using the button below or fill in the form and we'll get back to you.