Working with Huntington’s Disease in Old Age – Part 2
The last blog discussed Huntington’s Disease and its manifestations among older adults. Today, we will briefly examine how one can work and help an older adult with Huntington’s Disease.
As the disease progresses, symptoms become more pronounced; the more their symptoms become, the less independent older adults will be. Consequently, caregivers are often tasked with helping care for their appointments, ensuring the older adults receive the care they need, and being there for their general needs and requirements. There may come a time when the caregiver must obtain power of attorney or even guardianship to ensure the proper level of care is achieved. Naturally, this increased dependence on their loved ones or caregivers may affect their self-identity and how they view themselves as a human being. Consequently, it is essential to include the older adult as much as possible in any decision-making, engaging in a shared decision-making and inclusionary process. This allows the older adult to feel like their thoughts and opinions are still important so that they will feel validated.
How do we help older adults with Huntington’s?
So, how do we help older adults with Huntington’s? First and foremost, one must understand the subjective nature of the disease and the individual and personal impacts these changes have on the older adults themselves. Suffering from such a neurological condition is burdening itself, and so trying to understand what the older adult is going through is vital in helping them adjust and accept what they are going through. Hand in hand with this is the recognition that emotional support and empathy have in supporting the older adult.
Naturally, as healthcare providers and clinicians, we understand that it is challenging even for caregivers. Tied in with the above is making sure that, as caregivers, you know that your loved ones with Alzheimer’s may exhibit aggressive behaviour, so make a conscious effort not to judge them. By doing so, caregivers will feel less aggrieved and hurt by their loved one’s actions.
In the third blog about Huntington’s, we will continue to discuss in more detail the stages of the disease and its manifestations as it progresses.
If you think that you can benefit from professional support on this issue you can reach out here.
Yaser Teebi works as a Clinical Psychologist and Gerontologist at Willingness. He works with a variety of complex issues and adult age groups, including chronic pain, mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, trauma, loss, grief and bereavement, relationships and cognitive impairment. Yaser Teebi has graduated from the following degrees with Merit: Bachelor of Psychology (Hons), a Master of Gerontology and Geriatrics, and a Master of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, all at the University of Malta. He is currently reading for a PhD in Clinical Psychology and Geriatrics at the University of Birmingham.
