Hi there, does anybody know if you can get assessed at home please? My father-in-law is 77 and last year doctors said he has Parkinson's, which his wife had been saying for a few months (and when we now look back a few years we can see it all starting too!). He has gone downhill so so quickly from a man who walked and biked all the time to someone who now struggles to even get out of his chair, all within a year! He was supposed to have had an assessment on Monday to officially get this on paper but the mother-in-law has cancelled-we don't know why yet!-but its very frustrating for my husband to see his dad not getting help. We are only 10 doors away and try and help all the time however we can. x
Hi
When you say home assessment?
what assessment would that be for?
Do you mean assessed in his home for needs he may have around his home i.e rail's equipment ect or a carer to come in too visit him?.
if so
your/his gp should be able to refer him to be assessed by an occupational therapist & local health team who'll come in too assess his needs & provide equipment or alterations he is in need of.
If that is not what you mean please expand ?.
No i mean the assessment to officially say on paper that he has Parkinson's...the one the doctor refers you to. Unless we are very wrong? We all seem to assume we cant get any help unless this assessment is done? Am i right?
My husband has already put up bits around the house to help him but he is just getting worse.
My mistake then
Usually to be 'official' a gp would have to refer the patient to see a Neuro who then diagnoses I'm not sure a gp can diagnose alone, I haven't heard of a home assessment before as Neuro's are extremely busy at Hospital.
You can arrange for ambulance transport to take him to an appointment if it is difficult?.
Yes that sounds right about the neuro. Oh right i will look into that about the transport thank you very much. We would take him too but even since Christmas he just needs the support to get around the house whereas he was doing it himself...i cannot believe the deterioration is going so quickly. maybe age doesn't help? i dont know.
Its nice reading on here as we dont really have anyone else to speak to with the knowledge or anyone else who is going through it too....without having to make an appointment of course! :)
It might be worth arranging for a gp to visit your father in law at home too see him and what his wishes actually are rather than the wishes of mother in law continually canceling appointments for unknown reasons, That might be a way forward in getting appointments & help.
Dont be afraid to ask Questions here or via the help line
locally there should be a parkinsons branch, support workers, nurse ect attached to neurolgy dept.
Ok i will have a look. We haven't had a problem getting the appointments its just been a good chunk of wks to wait and even in that time he has changed rapidly. We are getting frustrated though as to why this current appointment has been cancelled...yet to find out!! Doc home visit is a good idea. Thank you for all your advice its much appreciated :)
when he has seen a neuro he get the right meds he should improve a little bit each day but it wont happen over night once the dosage is right (dont know if that helps or not)