Challenges Facing RSD Patients with Long-Term Care

When someone has been diagnosed with a new disease, the focus is on the moment here and now. This makes sense. When dealing with an acute problem such as a new medical condition, there are many questions that float through someone’s head. Examples include:

What does this disease mean for me?
How did I get this disease?
What is my prognosis going to be? Is there any hope of a recovery?
How is this going to impact my loved ones?
What are some of the complications that might develop?

Someone who has been diagnosed with a chronic medical condition, such as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), is not alone. There are actually many people in the United States who are living with a chronic medical condition. According to statistics which have been published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

There are more than 115 million people who are living in the United States with a chronic medical condition. This is almost 50 percent of all adults in this country.
Among the top 10 causes of death in the year 2014, seven of these were due to chronic diseases.
Combined, these chronic diseases were named as a cause of death in close to half of all deaths in the United States

There are many different types of chronic medical conditions such as chronic pain, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. For those who suffer from chronic pain from RSD, it is important to plan for the future. Long-term care can be a challenge, and there are certain obstacles that need to be addressed.

An Overview: Complications of RSD

Many of the problems that accompany the long-term care of someone with RSD come from the complications of this heinous disease. Some of the common complications that people might experience include:

Mental Health Disorders: It is important not to overlook the mental health complications that come with RSD. Individuals with RSD develop mental health disorders, such as depression, at a high rate. This can make it difficult to engage with family and friends.

Cardiac Issues: Those who live with RSD for many years are at risk of developing cardiac complications. When someone lives with chronic pain, this tends to drive up someone’s heart rate. Having a chronically high heart rate can lead to cardiomyopathy, which could lead to heart failure.

Quality of Life: Perhaps the largest complication of RSD comes from the quality of life issues that it creates. Individuals with RSD can have trouble staying in school and attending work, causing tremendous financial strain. This financial strain is one of the biggest aspects of planning for long-term care. What are some of the other issues that need to be addressed?

The Challenges of Managing Complications and Long-Term Care of RSD

When someone has been diagnosed with RSD, it is important to take the time to plan for long-term care; however, there are many aspects of long-term care that need to be addressed. Failure to adequately plan can place undue stress on family and friends, straining these relationships while also serving as a detriment to the health of the loved one with RSD. Some of the issues that must be considered include:

Financial: This is one of the biggest challenges of long-term care. Research has demonstrated that the majority of one’s healthcare costs are accumulated just before death. Sometimes, insurance companies refuse to reimburse people for costs related to long-term care. This can come from either a lifetime cap or from failure to pay coinsurance. Purchasing long-term care insurance can be helpful; however, this can also be expensive.

Logistics: Sometimes, the logistics of long-term care can also be a challenge. Who is going to take time out of their day to day life to help a loved one with RSD? What happens when the medical problems become too much for the average person to manage? Will they need to be placed in a long-term medical home?

Appointments: It can be a challenge to find specialists who are able to manage all of the various aspects of RSD. As the disease progresses, multiple organ systems can start to show signs of wear and tear. Is home nursing going to be the answer? What if the specialists are a long way away? It is important to make sure that loved ones have the medical care that they need.

Ultimately, RSD is a chronic condition and should be managed as such. This means that individuals living with RSD and their loved ones should plan for the future. For help with this, it is a good idea to meet with a caring RSD attorney in Sacramento. It is important for families to review all of their options before making a decision.

Related Articles by Ed Smith

Contact an Experienced RSD Attorney in Sacramento

I’m Ed Smith, an RSD Lawyer in Sacramento. If someone you know has had problems managing their daily life because of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, please call me at 916-382-0693. I am available to provide friendly, free legal advice.

Everyone is asked to look at my sample results here.

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