Neurological Diseases

Neurological disorders are diseases of the brain, spine and the nerves that connect them. There are more than 600 neurologic diseases such as Huntington’s disease, Muscular Dystrophy, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Spina Bifida, Parkinson’s Disease and Epilepsy.

Major types of Neurological Diseases and Disorders include:

• Diseases caused by faulty genes, such as Huntington’s disease and muscular dystrophy.
• ALS / Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
• Problems with the way the nervous system develops, such as spina bifida.
• Degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Diseases of the blood vessels that supply the brain, such as stroke.
• Injuries to the spinal cord and brain.
• Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy.

When something goes wrong with part of your nervous system, you can have trouble moving, speaking, swallowing, breathing, or learning. You can also have problems with your memory, senses, or mood.

Diseases like Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Huntington’s disease and other life-limiting neurological disorders all have various stages of progression. The physical hardship of the neurological disease affects the patient the and the family as a whole.

While some neurological diseases can cause a slow decline over the course of years, others may cause a more rapid decline for a patient. When a patient reaches less than six months or so to live and improvement is no longer likely, hospice care becomes essential. Some common signs that a patient may be nearing the need for hospice care include patients who:

• Have had strokes and have suffered a decline in clinical and functional status.
• Are in a coma and are suffering physical deterioration.
• Patients with Parkinson’s Disease or Multiple Sclerosis, and other neurological diseases that have caused rapid decline with normal functions.

• Pain Management – Our team provides palliative care which focuses on relieving pain and maintaining comfort.
• Symptom Control – Our Hospice Care team regularly assesses each patient’s condition and works with the physician to determine the most effective treatment and medication options to maximize symptom control.
• Hospice Care at Home – The goal of hospice care is to support patients by meeting their needs and managing their care at home –  or wherever they may call home. This means hospice services are provided in a patient’s home, a nursing home, or home of a loved one. Allowing one to stay at their home gives them the ultimate comfort when addressing terminal illnesses.
• Coordinated Care Approach – Hospice care is a team effort. The patient’s family and loved ones are actively involved along with a team of professionals and volunteers. With the help and support of the hospice care team, the patient and their family receive physical, emotional, and spiritual support.
• Holistic Approach – Therapy and counseling services add an extra layer of care to the hospice services provided by Capital Caring. Therapy and counseling are non-invasive, holistic practices which help to enhance the medical, social and spiritual care of the hospice team. Therapy and counseling sessions are provided by staff and volunteers of the Capital Caring hospice team.

Visit www.capitalcaring.org or call 800-869-2136 for more information or to make a referral.