The Quality Of Life Of Patients With Degenerative Diseases

Health is essential for our well-being. Most of the people consider that their quality of life is positive, as long as they stay in a good physical and mental state. However, and precisely because of this thought, when we suffer from a disease the world falls on us and we think that nothing is worth it anymore. This may be the case in patients with degenerative diseases.

The truth is that the quality of life is not measured solely by the state of health. There are many other factors that count for its maintenance. It is these other factors that we must resort to if we want to see an increase in the well-being of patients with degenerative diseases.

However, before delving into what they are, we must better understand what exactly this type of disease consists of. Let’s go deeper.

What characterizes a degenerative disease?

Degenerative diseases are conditions, generally chronic, in which certain cells in our body deteriorate. This causes that the fabrics see their quality compromised or even stop working. This class of diseases, in contrast to infectious diseases, are not formed by external agents; on the contrary, it is our body that causes the symptoms.

Some known examples of degenerative diseases are those that affect the central nervous system. Therefore, they manifest themselves in the correct functioning of the patient’s brain. This can affect both cognitive abilities and motor control. Two of the best known of this type are Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

However, patients with degenerative diseases are not only affected by their nervous system. Many of these syndromes  affect all kinds of tissues. Thus, any organ, apparatus or system of the body can be affected.

Degenerative diseases are difficult for the patient and their families to assimilate. The non-existent cure and the fact that independence and freedom of movement will be reduced is difficult to accept. Therefore, it should be emphasized that this does not imply that the patient will no longer have quality of life.

How to improve the quality of life of these patients

Quality of life is a very abstract concept, difficult to define in detail. The official indicators that try to study it are set at the level of well-being of each country. However, these ways of measuring it do not help us when we try to increase our individual happiness.

Still, there are certain factors that increase our quality of life. For example, personal relationships and self-esteem are probably in the definition of happiness for most of us.  It is in these aspects that patients with degenerative diseases should be influenced.

• Favorable family environment. The closest family members should support the patient by showing their love and respect. It is important that the person who suffers from these diseases does not see himself as a burden to his family members. Feeling loved and useful is one of the best ways in which human beings integrate into a social group.
• Active social environment. As we have seen, belonging to a group is decisive for maintaining the quality of life. There are multitudes of people who share a disease, who come together to express their concerns and learn from the experiences of others. Seeking their support can go a long way toward improving the well-being of patients.

• Physical health . Often, to feel good about ourselves, we need to take care of ourselves on the outside as well. This is the reason why degenerative disease patients should not neglect their physical appearance or give up on liking themselves on the outside. Nor should they give up everything for their physical well-being. Therefore, whenever possible, taking care of your body and how you present yourself to others can be very useful to improve your mood.

Other ways to help patients with degenerative diseases

In addition to these keys, there are all kinds of therapies that are developed with the aim of improving the quality of life of this type of patient. For example, hippotherapy or horse-assisted therapy in people with multiple sclerosis; or therapies with dogs for Alzheimer’s patients.

No matter which one we choose, the important thing is that there are many ways to improve the quality of life of chronically ill people. If you are in this situation or know someone who is, remember:  there is always something we can do.