ALScare
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Lou Gehrig's disease; ALS; Upper and lower motor neuron disease; Motor neuron disease.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement.
ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. In about 10% of cases, ALS is caused by a genetic defect. In the remaining cases, the cause is unknown.
In ALS, nerve cells (neurons) waste away or die, and can no longer send messages to muscles. This eventually leads to muscle weakening, twitching, and an inability to move the arms, legs, and body. The condition slowly gets worse. When the muscles in the chest area stop working, it becomes hard or impossible to breathe on one's own.
ALS affects approximately 5 out of every 100,000 people worldwide. There are no known risk factors, except for having a family member who has a hereditary form of the disease.
ALS Symptoms
Symptoms usually do not develop until after age 50, but they can start in younger people. Persons with ALS have a loss of muscle strength and coordination that eventually gets worse and makes it impossible to do routine tasks such as going up steps, getting out of a chair, or swallowing.
Breathing or swallowing muscles may be the first muscles affected. As the disease gets worse, more muscle groups develop problems.
ALS does not affect the senses (sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch). It only rarely affects bladder or bowel function, or a person's ability to think or reason.
The Omega Health Care team are experts in treating patients with pulmonary disease allowing our patients to experience comfort and the best quality of life possible. We develop individualized plans of care. As the disease progresses we design plans that address common problems associated with ALS:
- anxiety
- weakness
- shortness of air
- nutrition
- hydration
- skin care
- recurrent infections
- pain
- incontinence
- psychological
- assistance with ADLs
We care for patients wherever they call home whether in their own home, a caregiver's home, a long term care facility or an assisted living community.
We will coordinate the individualized plan of care with the advice and consent of the patient's physician. The case manager will ensure that information flows between all physicians, nurses, social workers, aides, volunteers, and, if appropriate, clergy.
We will supply all medications, medical supplies and medical equipment related to the diagnosis to ensure patients have everything they need.
We will support the patient as well as the family emotionally and spiritually providing the resources to help both maintain their emotional and spiritual well-being.
We will train the caregiver on how to provide basic care to ensure the patient is comfortable and safe in the home. As the patient gets weaker, symptoms increase and communication becomes more difficult, we educate on how to best continue care.
Contact Us
If you would like more information on ALS Care you may submit the online form, contact the local office (locations) or call the corporate at (877) 275-7085 and ask for your care team.
If you are a physician and need to contact us you may submit the referral form, contact the local office (locations) or call the corporate at (877) 275-7085 and ask for your admission team.
Thank you for allowing us to serve you!