What Is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a form progressive neurodegenerative disorder – meaning a disease that leads to progressive destruction of some parts of the nervous system- that primarily affects the brain’s ability to control the body’s movement.
The most noticeable symptoms of this disease include tremors (shaking), rigidity (muscle stiffness), and bradykinesia (slowness of movement). These symptoms arise because neurons in the brain that produce dopamine—a chemical crucial for coordinating movement—begin to break down and die off. But Parkinson’s doesn’t only affect movement, as the disease progresses, it can lead to cognitive changes, mood disorders, and other non-motor symptoms, making it harder treat and manage, particularly in elderly patients.
How does Parkinson’s Disease Affect The Elderly
The disease has many consequences for people of all ages, but especially for the elderly, who are already frail and weak most of the time. Those effects are not only physical, which are the main effects of the disease, but also emotional due to the cognitive decline and feeling of helplessness experienced by these patients.
Here are the main effects of this disease on the elderly:
Shaking & Weakness
Problems with movement are usually the first symptoms of the disease which include movement difficulties in several joints. This might especially be noticeable in the hands. The patient may start noticing difficulties with writing and drawing, leading to frustration and exasperation at times. This weakness may also affect the tongue, leading to difficulties with speech.
Stiffness & Instability
The muscles can become stiff or rigid, which can limit range of motion and cause discomfort. Rigidity often affects the arms, legs, and neck. This leads people with Parkinson’s to often have difficulty maintaining their balance and may experience frequent falls – especially true in the population with devastating consequences.
As a result, it’s a good idea to have someone looking after these patients and supporting them, especially as the disease progresses.
How To Take Care Of Someone with Parkinson’s Disease?
Management of Parkinson’s disease is complex and requires collaboration between multiple healthcare providers like nurses, doctors, and physiotherapists. It’s worth pointing out that there’s no definitive cure for Parkinson’s, however using a combination of management modalities helps to greatly alleviate the burden of the disease including:
Pharmaceutical Drugs For Parkinson’s Disease
The most commonly prescribed drug for patients with this condition is called levodopa, which the brain converts into dopamine to replace what’s been lost as a result of having the disease. Other medications, like dopamine agonists or MAO-B inhibitors, can also help relieve the symptoms of the disease. The treating physician might even opt to using a combination of medications in some cases as needed.
Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
A structured program of physical therapy and mobility exercises can help address symptoms like rigidity, improve balance, and decrease stiffness, all of which can make a big difference in the patient’s daily life.
Surgical Might Be Needed in Difficult Cases
Unfortunately, some patients might not respond to medications. For those whose symptoms aren’t controlled well with medication, deep brain stimulation (DBS) — a surgical procedure where electrodes are implanted in the brain to regulate abnormal activity — may offer some symptomatic relief.
Lifestyle Adjustments
Maintaining activity through consistent workouts, consuming a balanced meal, and prioritizing mental wellbeing are also effective techniques to manage Parkinson’s symptoms.
Of course, due to impaired stability cause by the disease, moving around might be difficult or even dangerous at times. In these situations, it’s recommended to have someone available to help and suppot the affected individual with moving around and performing their daily activities.
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