Life with Parkinson’s Disease
Jul 29th
More than 1 million Americans are living with Parkinson’s disease. Each day more of them are making life decisions that move them from coping with Parkinson’s to managing Parkinson’s. There is a difference.
Managing Parkinson’s disease and living a full life takes a certain amount of practice and a larger amount of dedication. Since Parkinson’s disease can affect daily activities, managing it means making changes to your lifestyle, your approach to activities, as well as your outlook. Embracing change is the first step to managing and living a fuller life with Parkinson’s.
Follow the links below to learn how to increase the quality of your life with Parkinson’s disease. Learn management skills that will move you beyond coping to a fuller, more meaningful life.
Forced Exercise Treats Parkinson’s Disease?
Jul 27th
Dr. Jay Alberts, an avid cyclist and neuroscientist made an amazing discovery last year. When riding with David, who has Parkinson’s disease, he noticed a change in David’s motor skills before and after the rides. This amazing discovery prompted a study to test whether weeks of a plan called “forced exercise” can improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Watch the video clip by ABC News to see the results of this study.
2010 Parkinson’s Unity Walk Raises Support and Donations
May 17th
Spring was in the air and in the step of thousands as they came together last month to raise support and funds for Parkinson’s disease research. People from around the nation joined forces for this much needed cause and the results have been amazing! As of April 30th, the Parkinson’s Unity Walk raised more than $1.2 million.
Since the beginning of the Unity Walk, 100% of all funds raised have been designated for research and are distributed among the major U.S. Parkinson’s disease foundations, including the American Parkinson Disease Association, the National Parkinson Foundation, The Parkinson Alliance, Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, The Parkinson’s Institute, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and Parkinson’s Action Network.
If you missed last April’s Unity Walk but would still like to make a donation, visit http://www.unitywalk.org/events/. You may also be able to sign up for next year’s walk.
Spouses Who Provide Care to Partners with Parkinson’s At Risk
Jan 7th
A ten-year study*, conducted by the Oregon Health Science University, has suggested that spouses that are caregivers for a partner with Parkinson Disease are at risk of developing a decline in physical and mental health.
Participants in the study were first studied in 1992 and 1994, lived across North America and cared for a loved one who was in the early stages of Parkinson’s. Extensive research was picked up again in 2002 and the following findings were discovered:
- Caregivers caring for a spouse with Parkinson’s Disease over a ten-year period were at increased risk for negative health and strain. Health and well-being significantly deteriorated, while strain from caregiving significantly increased.
- Quality of relationship and caregiver poorer health effected caregiver strain and well-being.
- Of the people with Parkinson’s residing in assisted living facilities, 55% had dementia compared with only 8% of those who remained at home.
- Depression requiring professional treatment was present in 20% o f the entire caregiver sample. Depression in caregivers of patients in assisted living facilities was over twice (55%) that of those in bereaved or ongoing care groups.
These findings suggest that caregiving for a spouse with Parkinson’s Disease for many years can lead to depression, health problems, and strain. It also emphasized the need to help families through community services such as in home care by professional caregivers, respite caregivers, and emotional support groups.
If you are caring for a spouse with Parkinson’s, know that your care is only as good as your health and well-being. Better Living Home Care can give you the support and relief you need to maintain your health and reduce strain.
Contact us today for a FREE IN HOME CONSULTATION.
(* The data from this study was conducted by Karen Lyons, Julie Carter, Barbara Stewart, and Patricia Archbold and was taken from the Official Journal of the National Parkinson Foundation Vol. XV, Issue 4, Fall 2004. This study is still being analyzed.)
Parkinson’s Disease Knows No Barriers
Oct 14th
It is impossible (as of today) to predict who will get Parkinson’s disease. Medical researchers still do not fully understand the causes of Parkinson’s. A combination of health factors both genetic and environmental may be the culprits. Men and women can be afflicted with Parkinson’s. The disease seems to know no social or geographic boundaries. Research results regarding whether certain ethnic groups or regions of the world are more susceptible to Parkinson’s disease are difficult to interpret in light of regional and ethnic variations in access to health care, perceptions of illness, and mortality. At this time it seems all people have the same chances of falling victim to Parkinson’s disease.
Even age does not seem to be a good enough indicator as there is a wide variation. In very few cases, Parkinson’s has developed in individuals before the age of 20 and others not until after age 90. Many people over the age of 50 are most often afflicted by Parkinson’s. The average age of onset is 60. As physicians become more adapt at watching for and distinguishing signs of Parkinson’s disease, more cases of “early-onset” are being discovered. Most “early onset” is estimated to develop between the ages of 30 and 50 with an estimated 5 to 10 percent of known patients under the age of 40.
Signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can be attributed to other causes such as aging, exhaustion, stress, progressive supranuclear palsy, and the use of certain drugs. Since many other diseases have similar features, diagnosing the disease can be difficult. Neurological examination and sometimes brain scans can aide in making a precise diagnosis. Consult your neurologist for a neuropsychological consultation if you suspect certain signs of those related to Parkinson’s.
Dementia in Parkinson’s Disease
Oct 13th
Cognitive changes such as dementia are common in Parkinson’s disease. For most of us “dementia” is a very scary word, so I’d like to make clear that although such a cognitive impairment is common, not all those with Parkinson’s necessarily experience dementia. Parkinson’s disease dementia is less likely in early onset disease, tremor onset patients, and where significant depression is absent. However, because patients with Parkinson’s disease are about six times more likely to suffer from dementia than those without Parkinson’s, it is a good idea to pay close attention and watch for signs of dementia, as some medical treatment may be needed. Therefore, a clear understanding of what “dementia” is will follow.
What Dementia Is:
Dementia is a disturbance in intellectual function that interferes greatly with essential aspects of life and progressively worsens over time. The typical profile of Parkinson’s disease dementia consists of:
declining ability to reason,
slowed mental processing,
dramatic lapses in memory,
worsening visual-spatial construction
and trouble maintaining attention.
The various types of dementias that can occur in patients with Parkinson’s may overlap and co-occur, making them hard to distinguish. Neurological exams and neuropsychological assessments may help pinpoint and ascertain the different dementias. Conventional segmentation has divided dementia into two types: cortical and subcortical. Cortical dementia is typically found with Alzheimer’s disease and characterized by profound memory problems early on. Subcortical dementia is a slowing of cognitive processing, forgetfulness, apathy, and retrieval difficulties early on.
When watching for signs of Parkinson’s disease dementia, it is appropriate to worry, but try not to become alarmed. Cognitive changes do not automatically suggest the onset of dementia. If you are suspicious of certain behaviors, consult your neurologist for a neuropsychological consultation. It is painless, detailed, and can uncover factors that may be the cause of cognitive changes.