The Basics About Parkinson’s Disease

Becoming a caregiver to an older adult with Parkinson’s disease comes with a lot of responsibilities. One of them is to learn as much about the disease as you can since it can help you to better manage the disease.

General Information

Parkinson’s is a disease of the nervous system that impacts a person’s movement. It is most commonly diagnosed in older adults, but it sometimes occurs in younger people, too. Initial symptoms of the disease are mild, but the disease is progressive, meaning symptoms worsen. As a result, the amount of help a person with Parkinson’s needs will increase over time. There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but there are treatments for managing symptoms.

Parkinson’s affects a part of the brain that produces a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine delivers messages in the brain. For example, if you want to scratch your nose, dopamine delivers a message to the nerves that control that movement. When Parkinson’s strikes, it causes cells in the part of the brain that makes dopamine to die off. There’s no way to replace those cells, so the body doesn’t make as much dopamine as it once did. As a result, it becomes harder to control movements. Sometimes up to 80 percent of the cells have to die before a person starts to notice symptoms.

Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms

Parkinson’s can have both physical and cognitive symptoms. Most people are more familiar with the physical symptoms of the disease, but it can cause dementia in its later stages. Some of the physical symptoms of Parkinson’s are:

• Muscle Rigidity: Muscles can become stiff and hard to move. The stiffness can also be painful. Rigid muscles can happen in any part of the body.
• Slowed Movement: Movement becomes slower as the disease progresses. The older adult may take shorter steps and doing tasks will take longer.
• Tremors: Tremors are a shaking motion that often start in one limb, usually a hand or fingers. It can also affect other parts of the body, such as the jaw, legs, arms, lips, or tongue.
• Balance Problems: Walking gets more difficult and the senior may lose their balance. Part of the problem is that their arms don’t swing freely any more. Also, shortened steps cause a shuffling motion that may compromise balance.

Even as the symptoms of the disease become more difficult to deal with, elder care can offer the senior assistance that allows them to continue living at home. Elder care providers can help them to dress in the morning, bathe, and perform basic hygiene tasks. An elder care provider can also help them to safely move about the house or go on outings.

Sources

https://parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/what-is-parkinsons

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055

https://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-disease/parkinsons-disease-overview#1

If you are considering elder care in Columbus, OH for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Lantern West Health today at 614-594-7474.