Saturday, March 16, 2024
Saturday, March 16, 2024
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Can Someone With Parkinson’s Live Alone

Parkinsons Disease Symptoms Of Dementia

Living alone with Parkinson’s

Up to one-third of people living with Parkinson’s disease experience dementia, according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. Problems with dementia may include trouble with memory, attention span, and what is called executive function the process of making decisions, organizing, managing time, and setting priorities.

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Medications Used For Treating Psychosis

Antipsychotic agents are designed to balance abnormal chemical levels in the brain. Up until the 1990s, the use of antipsychotics in PD was controversial because the drugs used until that time work by reducing excess dopamine. This alleviated psychosis but caused dramatic worsening of PD motor symptoms.

Fortunately, medications that are better tolerated by people with PD are now available. Today, there are three;antipsychotic medications considered relatively safe for people with PD: quetiapine , clozapine and the newest agent, pimavanserin . They cause limited worsening of PD while treating hallucinations and delusions.

How Can I Adapt My Lifestyle To This New Diagnosis

Each persons experience with Parkinsons disease is individual. Everyone adapts differently to the disease.

Common reactions to the diagnosis are shock, anger, sadness, anxiety and denial. These feelings are perfectly legitimate and natural, as are the many questions that come to mind.

Focus on what you need to know now. Give yourself the time you need to integrate the changes that the disease brings to your life. Ask for help from your loved ones or use the resources available to support you. Take it one day at a time.

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Restrictions And Social Distancing For People With Parkinsons

Some restrictions and social distancing guidelines are beginning to lift in all 4 UK nations. If you have Parkinsons, or are a friend, family member or carer for someone with Parkinsons, you should continue to follow the guidance and timetable where you live:

Our Clinical Leadership team does not recommend any additional measures for people with Parkinsons.

However, you should continue to take measures that feel suitable and right for you. For example:

  • Be aware of where you are most at risk from catching coronavirus .
  • Increase the amount of close contact you have with people from outside your household gradually. You may want to continue to meet outdoors.
  • Consider avoiding busy places at peak times and continue to practice good hand hygiene.
  • If its not already required by your country’s guidance, consider continuing to wear a face covering and keeping a social distance.
  • Ask others to wear a face covering and maintain a distance when coming into your home.

Alongside your governments guidance, it will be up to you to decide how you want to work, travel and socialise safely.;

Minimize Risk At Home

How to Know When an Elderly Person Can

Use the Parkinsons Foundations Home Safety Considerations checklist ;to ensure your home is safe and easily accessible. Or request a Home Safety Evaluation from your doctor. An occupational therapist can perform an in-home assessment to make your home safer.

You may also want to research medical alert systems. These wearable devices can bring help quickly in an emergency.

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Living Well With Parkinsons

Exercise along with knowledge and medication management are effective ways to improve quality of life.

Living well;means paying attention to your emotional, mental and physical health. That especially applies if you are living with Parkinsons, or caring for someone who is. Our Living Well with Parkinsons information sheets will inspire and assist you to get the most out of your life

Modifying Of One’s Job Performance

The consequences of PD have strong symbolism on activities related to work, especially when the person discovers the disease at an early age. Many are diagnosed after retirement, others while they still work, and the latter experience problems at their jobs due to the characteristics of the disease. Some continue to work even after diagnosis, and only begin treatment after retiring, while others are forced to retire because of the illness. The related subcategories are “Revealing incapacity for work” and “Anticipating retirement.”

The data revealed the difficulties experienced at work and the perception that productivity was no longer the same, “Revealing incapacity for work.” This can be perceived by co-workers or by the individuals themselves, when noticing they no longer have the same vitality or that they have newfound difficulties, such as writing and reasoning. In the accounts, the difficulties perceived in the work environment may be noted:

Work is important in people’s lives, because, most often than not, it is through it that interpersonal relationships are formed; working makes people feel like they are actively being part of society, thus raising their self-esteem.

Another significant aspect is having to retire early, which can be very painful and often infuriating to people who need to do so, “Anticipating retirement.” Many reveal how complex retirement is and how it affects their self-esteem, as noted in the reports:

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Traveling With Parkinson’s Medications

  • Always have at least a day’s dosage of medication in your pocket or purse.
  • Try to carry all of your medications with you, in the event that your luggage gets misplaced.
  • Pack enough medications to last the entire trip.
  • Do not rely on out-of-town, or especially out-of-the-country, pharmacies for refills.
  • Check with your doctor about any over-the-counter drugs, such as those for motion sickness or diarrhea, before you leave.
  • Find out if your medications are “sun-sensitive” and plan accordingly.
  • Carry a list and schedule of medications with you.
  • If possible, use a watch with an alarm or an alarm pillbox. If you are traveling with time changes it may be difficult for you to remember on your own.

Living With The Disease

Living Alone: Home Safety & Management in Parkinson’s Disease

In this category, it was possible to get to know the daily life of the person with PD, in which a day is always different from the other, with ups and downs of the disease, with the improvement or worsening of the tremors, rigidity and other symptoms and signs. It is supported by the subcategories: “Living with the treatment of the disease,” “Living one day at a time” and “Changes in lifestyle.”

The way people with PD had been “living with the treatment of the disease” was assessed. The experience with medications is a difficult situation, because many make use of multiple medications due to other comorbidities.

Side effects from medicines intended for the disease and difficulty in relation to the dosages required were reported; other participants highlight the positive effects of the medications, which would have improved their daily living with the disease. It is interesting to note that the person learns the moment when the effect of the medication wears off and when they need to do something, like taking a new dose or resting, avoiding the performing of activities until the effects from the next dose begin to relieve the symptoms.

The use of many continuous-use medication triggers the feeling of having to live with a disease for their whole life; the effects, on the other hand, can mean suffering and discomfort. This reality can be identified in the reports:

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It Was Comforting To Be With People Who Didnt Judge You For How You Walked And Talked

At first, being among so many people with Parkinsons was rather overwhelming as you felt that you were looking into your own future and it was sometimes a little scary. But once youre used to it and get to know some of the other participants it was very inspiring, and somehow comforting to be with people who didnt judge you for how you walked and talked, and who knew how you felt if your medication hadnt quite kicked in and you were in an off state.

One thing I love is that WPC is for the entire Parkinsons community, which is quite unique.

What inspired you to get involved with WPC?

When I attended WPC for the first time in 2010, in Glasgow, I was inspired by many people, from the neurologists and researchers who were working so hard to find a cure or better treatment options, to the carers and family members. Most of all I was inspired by those with young onset Parkinsons, who had been diagnosed at the height of successful careers as dancers, or professional athletes, or doctors or surveyors, but instead of giving in to the disease they had formed organisations or devised exercise programmes to not only fight their own disease, but also to help and motivate others.

Why is something like WPC so important to the Parkinsons community?

It also provides a rare opportunity for researchers and people living with Parkinsons to interact, often an inspirational experience for researchers, and a way to reaffirm their commitment to this area of neuroscience.

How Can Occupational Therapy Help Me Optimize My Environment For Parkinson’s

This short article explains that the goal of occupational therapy is to help you be as independent as possible for as long as possible. To meet that goal, an OT can help you maintain or strengthen your ability to care for yourself, care for your house, take care of your loved ones, and get around in the community.; The page has a link to a home safety checklist and more articles about occupational therapy.

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How A Parkinsons Nurse Can Help

In the initial stages of Parkinsons, a Parkinsons nurse can provide advice and support to help you come to terms with the diagnosis. They can educate you and your family about the various symptoms of Parkinsons and can suggest strategies to manage symptoms. As Parkinsons progresses they can offer guidance on managing medications. A Parkinsons nurse can also refer you to other health care professionals for more specialist advice.

Lifestyle Changes To Help With Parkinsons Disease

Were born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only ...

Holistic lifestyle changes can help people stay healthier with Parkinsons disease:

  • Exercise keeps muscles more flexible for better movement. It also releases brain chemicals like endorphins to boost mood.
  • High protein meals help the brain function better
  • Physical, occupational and speech therapy will improve the ability to communicate and tackle daily tasks

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How To Talk To Someone With Hallucinations Or Delusions

  • It is usually not helpful to argue with someone who is experiencing a hallucination or delusion. Avoid trying to reason. Keep calm and be reassuring.
  • You can say you do not see what your loved one is seeing, but some people find it more calming to acknowledge what the person is seeing to reduce stress. For example, if the person sees a cat in the room, it may be best to say, “I will take the cat out” rather than argue that there is no cat.

Page reviewed by Dr. Chauncey Spears, Movement Disorders Fellow at the University of Florida, a Parkinsons Foundation Center of Excellence.

Living With The Stigma

This category shows the prejudice experienced by people with PD, which may occur due to the characteristics of the disease, such as tremors and stiffness, difficulty walking, in addition to the unpreparedness in relation to the disease. Its subcategories “The feeling of prejudice against the disease” and “The perceived limitations of the health services” are discussed below:

The people involved have noticed prejudice in relation to the signs of the disease, revealing the subcategory “The feeling of prejudice against the disease,” which can occur through looks or comments by other people. This fact results in embarrassment and feelings of shame:

The tremors and changes in walking pattern are understood by society as being different from the ordinary, which is why these signs and behaviors characteristic of the disease lead to stares from other people. On the one hand, there is the ignorance on PD, as well as the understanding of it as being some other condition, as has been reported in the accounts. These perspectives and perceptions of prejudice that occur in public spaces are very significant for the person with PD, because they often prefer to stay at home to avoid interacting with others or try to disguise such signs to look healthy.

These feelings are difficult to deal with for the person with PD, showing just how much their self-esteem and self-confidence become shaken by the illness.

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Getting The Right Home Care For Parkinsons

At some point, your senior suffering with Parkinsons disease may need daily assistance or even round-the-clock care. Activities that were once a pleasure may now pose a danger. While you want to do what you can to support your senior loved one, you may have difficulties being there as much as you would like. Nor, do you have the specialized knowledge in caring for someone with PD.

Consider professional home care services. Visiting Angels home care specialists can help with activities of daily living, ambulation, meal preparation, eating, and medication reminders. Trained in providing home care for Parkinsons, our staff ensure your loved one follows home safety recommendations and gets the support that maintains their quality of life.

Initially, we assess the home and make recommendations in making the home safer and easier to navigate for your senior. We also provide suggestions to you and your family in living with Parkinsons. Ongoing assessments ensure additional home adjustments to support aging seniors as PD symptoms advance. With our home care, you are assured a professional caregiver will get to know your loved one and his/her needs in every stage of PD.

How Speech Pathology Can Help

Tips for staying at home with Parkinson’s

Parkinsons can make it hard for people to communicate. A speech pathologist can help you overcome communication problems such as slurred or unsteady speech. They can also try to stop new problems from developing.

The speech pathologist may:

  • Suggest exercises and techniques to strengthen your voice
  • Help you control your facial expression
  • Help you with swallowing problems;
  • Suggest communication aids if talking has become very difficult for you

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How Psychology Can Help

There are many reasons why someone living with Parkinsons might benefit from seeing a psychologist. A diagnosis of Parkinsons can bring with it many psychological and emotional challenges. For instance, anxiety, depression and stress affect a large proportion of people diagnosed with Parkinsons. Assessment and treatment by a psychologist can help to address these issues for people living with Parkinsons, their carers, family and friends.

The psychologist may:

  • Help you to deal with your emotional reaction to diagnosis
  • Undertake assessments, and suggest strategies to manage memory and cognitive difficulties
  • Teach strategies to manage anxiety and stress
  • Talk with you and develop strategies to overcome depression
  • Suggest strategies to help you cope with the ongoing challenges of Parkinsons.

What Is The Best Way To Communicate With A Person With Pdd

PD-related mood and motor changes can impact communication; cognitive changes and Parkinsons disease dementia can further these difficulties.;

  • It is not usually helpful to try to reason or argue with someone experiencing a hallucination or delusion. Stay calm and be patient. If the person is frightened by the hallucination or delusion, try to redirect their attention to something else.;
  • You may find acknowledging what the person is seeing, even if you do not see it, can reduce stress.;
  • Speak slowly and at eye level. Communicate in simple sentences.;
  • Ask one question at a time and wait for an answer.;
  • Limit distractions. Turn off the TV or radio before asking a person with PDD to do something.;
  • Consider causes behind disruptive behavior: the person may be hungry, thirsty, tired, in pain, frustrated, lonely or bored.;
  • If the person is stuck on an idea, try agreeing with them, then changing the subject.;
  • Its OK to use humor to diffuse stressful situations but avoid negative humor or sarcasm these can be misunderstood.

Page reviewed by Dr. Jori Fleisher, MSCE, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Sciences at Rush University Medical Center, a Parkinsons Foundation Center of Excellence.

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How Occupational Therapy Can Help

If you have Parkinsons, you may have problems with everyday tasks such as dressing or getting in and out of the shower. An occupational therapist will help you manage your life more easily.

The occupational therapist may:

Living Alone With Parkinsons Disease

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Any new diagnosis can bring with it questions, fears, and concerns for the future. A diagnosis of Parkinsons disease , a chronic lifelong condition for which there is no cure, would be unsettling to anyone, even those who have a great support system.;For someone who lives alone, it can elicit additional feelings of worry and uncertainty about how you will be able to cope, staying in your home.

Parkinsons is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain resulting in changes to motor and non-motor skills. Damage to nerve cells that reduce dopamine production can affect movement and emotions.

Many people who live alone cope well with their condition. As PD takes a unique course with each person, there is no single approach to taking care of ones self. Each person will develop a distinct set of symptoms during the progression of their disease. Some will experience changes in motor skills, as generally experienced with early stage PD.;Others can develop substantial mental health disruption in addition to the deterioration in motor function that may make it difficult to live on your own.

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