Live-in multiple sclerosis (MS) care
Multiple sclerosis (MS) defies the assumption that only older people need caring support. Predominantly affecting people in mid-life, individuals living with multiple sclerosis need highly personalised, age-appropriate care services to ensure that they can live as well as possible.
At ENA Care Group we understand the challenges of living with multiple sclerosis, and provide specialist support for all stages of the condition to help people manage their symptoms effectively. We know how important it is for people to maintain control over their life and our live-in carers are sensitive to these needs — ensuring we provide care that accounts for the changing nature of MS.
What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological condition caused by an autoimmune response, which means that the immune system attacks a part of the body. The myelin sheath that surrounds the nerves in the brain and spinal cord is attacked by the immune system. The myelin sheath’s role is to protect nerves and help electrical signals to travel from the brain to the rest of the body. But in people with MS, the myelin sheath becomes inflamed in patches known as plaques or lesions, leading to a disruption in the messages moving along the nerves and resulting in the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
MS symptoms vary, but can include problems with balance, sensations such as numbness or tingling, difficulty walking, vision problems, fatigue, stiffness or spasms in muscles, bladder control issues and problems with tasks such as thinking or learning.
The three different types of multiple sclerosis are defined as: relapsing, primary progressive and secondary progressive.
- Relapsing MS is the most common, with up to 85% of sufferers being diagnosed with this type. These individuals have defined attacks of symptoms, which fade away partially or completely before the same or different symptoms reoccur at a later point.
- Primary progressive MS affects around 10-15% of sufferers. For these individuals, symptoms gradually appear and worsen, rather than the pattern of attacks seen in relapsing MS.
- Secondary progressive MS is what often follows relapsing MS, and involves a build-up of disability that doesn’t fluctuate as in relapsing MS.
There are a variety of treatments for MS, including medication, exercise and physiotherapy, but currently no cure.
Multiple sclerosis statistics
Reasons to consider live-in multiple sclerosis care
Given that multiple sclerosis predominantly affects younger people, one of the great fears affected people have is that, should they ever need to move into a care home, the resident population will be so much older than them. The option of remaining at home with live-in care comes as a great relief to many people living with MS, who may be considering our services for some of the following reasons
The person’s relapsing MS is producing attacks of symptoms that the person and/or their family are finding difficult to manage at home. The person and/or their family may want a long-term live-in care service, or they may prefer to try our respite care service first.
The person’s relapsing MS has progressed to secondary progressive MS and their level of disability requires expert professional support.
The person lives alone, is finding their MS very restrictive, and is now at a point where they require support to enable them to live their life as they wish.
The person has been assessed as needing more extensive residential support but doesn’t want to move into a care home.
The person’s primary progressive MS is gradually producing more symptoms and they or their family feel this would be better managed with professional support.
The person is managing their physical symptoms quite well, but would like the emotional support and companionship of a live-in carer.
Key elements of ENA live-in multiple sclerosis care
We support people with multiple sclerosis throughout their life, matching them with carers who have received specialist multiple sclerosis training. We pride ourselves in helping the client to continue with their life and routine, never taking over but instead enabling them to live with their condition, rather than being defined by it.
Our live-in multiple sclerosis support is built on preserving the person’s dignity and providing care that is respectful at all times. Our personalised support plans are constantly updated to reflect the changing nature of living with the condition, and we can provide complex care for the more disabling aspects of progressive MS, including problems with movement that may otherwise result in considering residential care.
We know that supporting the person’s mental health is important too and so our carers are able to provide the emotional care a person with MS needs. We can help alleviate problems like depression and anxiety by helping the person to continue to do the things they want to do, perhaps with some adaptations, and to ensure they are still able to feel a sense of purpose and achievement.
Alongside this, we care for our client’s families too, whether that’s by enabling them to provide some of their relative’s care, or answering questions about MS, or helping everyone to enjoy quality time as a family.
The benefits of ENA live-in multiple sclerosis care
Supporting independence
Although multiple sclerosis can be very debilitating, the people who live with it are generally keen to remain as independent as possible. Our live-in home care service is built around supporting individuality, with carers who know when to step back and when to work side-by-side with the person should they need support to accomplish something.
Companionship to combat isolation and loneliness
Many people with multiple sclerosis feel isolated. In a report from MS-UK in 2019/20, it was said that 71% of people with MS were currently experiencing loneliness and isolation or had done in the past. The companionship that our carers provide can alleviate many of these feelings, where the client can enjoy an understanding, non-judgemental support system at all times.
Help to keep a treatment regime on track
Our live-in carers can assist with everything, from taking medication to following an exercise regime, helping the person to get the maximum benefit from their treatment plan. We can also support the client to attend regular medication and MS reviews that are needed to make sure the person’s treatment plan is working for them.
Support with lifestyle choices
Whether the person has been advised to modify their diet to combat symptoms like constipation, or quit smoking to improve their general health, our live-in carers can provide the practical and moral support to help the person lead a healthier lifestyle.
Help to avoid accidents in the home
We can risk-assess a person’s home to ensure that any movement or balance problems are less likely to result in injuries or falls, and provide the one-to-one support that can increase both their safety and confidence in moving around their environment.
Support when the person needs a rest
For many people with MS, fatigue is a significant symptom that affects their daily life. Being able to rest as needed, and knowing that domestic tasks will still be completed, can be a big relief. Our live-in carers can make sure the cleaning and cooking are done whilst the person with MS rests accordingly.
Minimising the frustration of visual problems
Not being able to see things clearly can be immensely frustrating. With a live-in carer those frustrations are alleviated somewhat by having a second pair of eyes to help with everything from identifying things at home to reading post.
Contact us to discuss your multiple sclerosis care needs
We are always available to help you understand multiple sclerosis care better, and to discuss the best home care and support options for you and your family. You can call us on 0800 4334 413 or email