CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILY MEMBERS’ CARE IN NURSING CARE OF PATIENTS WITH AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a rapidly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease. The relative number of patients throughout the population with this disease is small. There is no effective way to treat the disease or to halt its progression, therefore only symptomatic treatment is available and continuous nursing care of relatives is essential. Around 50% of the patients die within 30 months of the onset of symptoms, often as a result of respiratory failure, and around 10% may survive for more than a decade. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is characterised by degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurons and frontotemporal systems. Although the cause of the disease is largely unknown, 10-20% of the cases have a certain genetic aetiology.