May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month. What do you know about Lyme disease? Most people know it’s transmitted by an infected tick. Did you know that the number of cases of Lyme disease doubled between 1991 and 2018?
Almost eight people out of every 100,000 develop Lyme disease. You can’t get the disease if you avoid getting bitten by ticks. Even if you are bitten, the tick needs to be attached for at least 24 hours. After working in her gardens or walking in woods or fields, your mom needs to carefully check herself for ticks.
What if she did get bitten? If she knows it, she can see her doctor and get the antibiotics that help prevent severe symptoms. The thing is she might not realize she was bitten. If she misses the bulls-eye rash, she may never know. What happens then?
Some people only experience mild symptoms like a headache and fever. Others develop severe symptoms that make it hard to function. These severe symptoms can make it hard for your mom to take care of herself. It’s time to talk to her about personal care assistance.
When Lyme disease goes untreated, months after that bite, some symptoms may appear that impact your mom’s energy and ability to take care of herself. She may experience severe arthritis that impacts her ability to move around and even stand without help.
Typically, the arthritis is worse in the knees. She might have a hard time standing up in the shower. Your mom may become dizzy and experience shortness of breath. Some people experience an irregular heartbeat, inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, and severe muscle and tendon pain.
All of this can make it hard for your mom to take care of herself. She needs help with oral care, hygiene, and grooming.
The duration of the severe symptoms varies, but your mom’s strength and stamina will be impacted. While your mom is going through them, she’s going to struggle to take care of her grooming and hygiene. Arrange personal care at home aides to help her with showers and baths.
Your mom’s caregivers can brush and floss her teeth when the joints in her fingers are stiff and painful. Her caregivers help her wash her body in the shower. They can wash and condition her hair, dry it, and style it.
If your mom can’t apply moisturizer or deodorant on her own, her caregiver can do it for her. She can have her caregiver shave her legs and armpits, trim her nails, and apply face cream.
Talk to a home care agency about these and other benefits gained from personal care at home. You’ll get answers to your questions and learn more about scheduling care attendants to help your mom with her personal care needs until her Lyme disease is better controlled.
Sources:
https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-lyme-disease#
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