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Late Stage Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms

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Section 6 – Late Stage Parkinson’s.mov

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What You Can Do

As of 2021, there is no definite cure for Parkinsons disease. There is also no definite known cause. Its likely due to a combination of an individuals susceptibility and environmental factors. Most cases of Parkinsons disease happen without a genetic link.

According to research published in 2012, only report having a family member with the disease. Many toxins are suspected and have been studied, but no single substance can be reliably linked to Parkinsons.

However, research is ongoing. Its estimated that

My Parkinson’s Story: Advanced Parkinsons

This 10-minute video alternates between an interview with a man and his wife and his palliative care team, including a doctor, nurse, clerg and social worker. The man and his wife shares his experience with late stage Parkinson’s. The palliative care team explains that their job is to support the best physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the immediate family as well as help the family make end of life decisions.

Read Also: Stabilizing Spoon For Parkinson’s

Causes Of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain called the substantia nigra. This leads to a reduction in a chemical called dopamine in the brain.

Dopamine plays a vital role in regulating the movement of the body. A reduction in dopamine is responsible for many of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Exactly what causes the loss of nerve cells is unclear. Most experts think that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is responsible.

Hospice Care For Late Stage Parkinsons

Home Monitoring of Patients with Late Stage Parkinsons ...

There are a number of reasons why choosing to have home health care services for Parkinson patients is one of the best options. Hospice care for late stage Parkinsons is extremely important.

  • End of Life 40% of those who were in a long term care facility died alone without a family member being with them. Every person in the study listed who had in home health care and hospice had at least 1 significant family member or loved one with them at the time of their passing.
  • Satisfaction 83% of those who utilized hospice were satisfied to highly satisfied with their experience. They cited their satisfaction with the ability to handle the extreme grief and handling of the symptoms of the disease as two of the main reasons for being appreciative with the care received.
  • Focus Hospice care for late stage Parkinsons focuses on comfort care, symptom care, grief counseling and acceptance. Maintaining a level of understanding and comfort for both the patient and their loved ones is a primary goal.

We can see the importance of a loved one remaining at home as they battle PD, especially as they move towards the final stages of the disease. Above & Beyond Home Health Care can be there for you with professional hospice care for late stage Parkinsons so you know that your loved one is provided for with the best care possible.

Cited Works:

End of Life Care for a Person with Parkinson Disease Dept. of Education

Read Also: Loss Of Smell And Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s Disease Diet And Nutrition

Maintaining Your Weight With Parkinson’s Disease

Malnutrition and weight maintenance is often an issue for people with Parkinson’s disease. Here are some tips to help you maintain a healthy weight.

  • Weigh yourself once or twice a week, unless your doctor recommends weighing yourself often. If you are taking diuretics or steroids, such as prednisone, you should weigh yourself daily.
  • If you have an unexplained weight gain or loss , contact your doctor. He or she may want to modify your food or fluid intake to help manage your condition.
  • Avoid low-fat or low-calorie products. . Use whole milk, whole milk cheese, and yogurt.

What Lifestyle Changes Can I Make To Ease Parkinsons Symptoms

Exercise: Exercise helps improve muscle strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, and tremor. It is also strongly believed to improve memory, thinking and reduce the risk of falls and decrease anxiety and depression. One study in persons with Parkinsons disease showed that 2.5 hours of exercise per week resulted in improved ability to move and a slower decline in quality of life compared to those who didnt exercise or didnt start until later in the course of their disease. Some exercises to consider include strengthening or resistance training, stretching exercises or aerobics . All types of exercise are helpful.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet: This is not only good for your general health but can ease some of the non-movement related symptoms of Parkinsons, such as constipation. Eating foods high in fiber in particular can relieve constipation. The Mediterranean diet is one example of a healthy diet.

Preventing falls and maintaining balance: Falls are a frequent complication of Parkinson’s. While you can do many things to reduce your risk of falling, the two most important are: 1) to work with your doctor to ensure that your treatments whether medicines or deep brain stimulation are optimal and 2) to consult with a physical therapist who can assess your walking and balance. The physical therapist is the expert when it comes to recommending assistive devices or exercise to improve safety and preventing falls.

Read Also: Music Therapy For Parkinson’s

How Common Is Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis

Between 20-40% of people with Parkinsons report the experience of hallucinations or delusions. When followed as the disease progresses over the years, this number increases. The increase does not mean that the hallucinations are persistent across the majority of patients. However, it is important to note that these statistics sometimes include delirium, in which the symptoms are temporary due to medication that needs to be adjusted or infection that needs to be treated, and isolated minor symptoms or minor hallucinations, including illusions, where instead of seeing things that are not there , people misinterpret things that are really there. These are the most common types of psychosis in people with PD, with different studies placing the occurrence between 25-70% of people with Parkinsons. Typically, if the person with PD only has these minor hallucinations, their doctor will not prescribe an antipsychotic medication, though more significant psychosis that requires medication may develop over time. In one study, 10% of those with minor hallucinations had their symptoms resolved within a few years, while 52% saw their symptoms remain the same and 38% saw their psychosis symptoms get worse.

We recommend that people with Parkinsons not use a single percentage to represent the prevalence of hallucinations and PDP. Parkinsons is a complex disease and as it progresses the percentages and risk of symptoms will change.

What Are The Symptoms Of End

Care of Late Stage Parkinson’s Disease

Stage four for Parkinsons disease is often called advanced Parkinsons disease because people in this stage experience severe and incapacitating symptoms. This is when medication doesnt help as much and serious disabilities set in.

Theres an increased severity in:

  • How you speak a softer voice that trails off.
  • Falling and trouble with balance and coordination.
  • Freezing a sudden, but temporary inability to move, when you start to walk or change direction.
  • Moving without assistance or a wheelchair.
  • Other symptoms such as constipation, depression, loss of smell, low blood pressure when going to stand up, pain, and sleep issues.

Many times someone with advanced PD cant live on their own and needs help with daily tasks.

Stage five is the final stage of Parkinsons, and assistance will be needed in all areas of daily life as motor skills are seriously impaired. You may:

  • Experience stiffness in your legs. It may make it impossible to walk or stand without help.
  • Need a wheelchair at all times or are bedridden.
  • Need round-the-clock nursing care for all activities.
  • Experience hallucinations and delusions.

As Parkinsons disease progresses into these advanced stages, its symptoms can often become increasingly difficult to manage. Whether you or your loved one with end-stage Parkinsons lives at home, in an assisted living facility or a nursing home, hospice services can optimize your quality of life and that of your family members as well.

Recommended Reading: Parkinson’s Quality Of Life

Managing Care In Late Stages

, March 3, 2017

What to expect in the late stages of Parkinson’s disease and the challenges of caring with those difficulties and needs. Tips for helping someone overcome freezing, accomplishing activities of daily living as long as possible, managing medications and swallowing issues, and ways to minimize caregiver stress.

Which Medications Can Make Confusion And Hallucinations Worse

As PD progresses, non-motor symptoms including psychosis and hallucinations become more prominent both for the patient and caregivers.9 Dopaminergic medication can exacerbate these symptoms and this can be reduced through a last in, first out approach. 27,28 Medications that have an anticholinergic effect also may cause or worsen acute confusion and the anticholinergic burden in the patients medication history should be considered.29

Recommended Reading: Is Drooling A Sign Of Parkinson’s Disease

Caring For A Person With Advanced Parkinsons Disease

In this 47-minute webinar Anne Wallis, Associate Director of Education at the Parkinsons Foundation, talks with doctor of physical therapy, Sarah King, about when to look for outside help, how to lasso the power of your friends and family , and how to build an allied healthcare team that decreases your stress and improves your loved ones care.

Can A Patients Ability To Make Decisions In The Last Days Of Life Be Impaired And How Is This Managed

Parkinsons disease

In a North American study of 47 carers of idiopathic PD patients in the last months of life most described the goal of care as comfort, and almost half of the patients were described as unable to make any decisions in the last month of life. 10

When presenting, the patient may already be unable to communicate their symptoms and care preferences due to cognitive impairment and confusion. Also, there might be a physical difficulty in communication from severe rigidity. Care should be taken in considering the presence and consequent treatment of an intercurrent illness, and whether dopaminergic medication is exacerbating confusion due to hallucinations and/or psychosis.27

Continued attempts at verbal and non-verbal communication should be made throughout given the often fluctuating symptoms associated with PD and possible improvement in the intercurrent illness. In the absence of a next of kin or other person who is able to inform the clinical team, decisions should be made on a best interest basis as recommended in end of life care guidance.30

Also Check: Parkinson’s Disease Mental Health

Stage Two Of Parkinsons Disease

Stage two is still considered early disease in PD, and it is characterized by symptoms on both sides of the body or at the midline without impairment to balance. Stage two may develop months or years after stage one.

Symptoms of PD in stage two may include the loss of facial expression on both sides of the face, decreased blinking, speech abnormalities, soft voice, monotone voice, fading volume after starting to speak loudly, slurring speech, stiffness or rigidity of the muscles in the trunk that may result in neck or back pain, stooped posture, and general slowness in all activities of daily living. However, at this stage the individual is still able to perform tasks of daily living.

Diagnosis may be easy at this stage if the patient has a tremor however, if stage one was missed and the only symptoms of stage two are slowness or lack of spontaneous movement, PD could be misinterpreted as only advancing age.

Complications In Advanced Pd

While worsening of motor function and drug-induced motor complications represents a major challenge in patients with mid-stage to advanced disease, in the advanced stage of PD the most troublesome and distressful complications are usually nonmotor symptoms, including psychiatric and cognitive disorders, autonomic disturbances, and sleep disorders that significantly increase the need for supportive care. Unfortunately, these symptoms are frequently neglected in clinical practice due to limited consultation time, perception of the patient and caregivers that their symptoms are unrelated to the disease, or insufficient awareness of the clinicians, who generally focus on motor symptoms .

Proper supporting care becomes increasingly important in advanced PD. Rehabilitative and support services for patients and family become key interventions as the disease reaches its more debilitating stages and pharmacologic or surgical treatment becomes less relevant. Management of motor and nonmotor complications in advanced PD requires careful and ongoing assessment of whether symptoms are a side effect of medication or related to the progression of the disease .

Medication Issues

End of Dose Wears Off Symptoms in Advanced PD

Systems affected

Progression of motor symptoms Dystonia

Fragmentation of Dosing
Dopamine Agonists Contraindicated
L-dopa and Dietary Proteins

Motor Issues

Dyskinesias
Dystonia
Freezing

Nonmotor Complications

Hallucinations, Delusions, Psychosis
Depression and Anxiety

Also Check: On Off Phenomenon In Parkinson’s Disease

What Are The Considerations For Pain Management In The Last Days Of Life In Pd

It is important to consider that pain can be a risk factor for, and associated with, many other symptoms which might be the presenting features in a patient with complex or advanced PD. These include a new or worsened confusion, hallucinations, agitation and symptoms of depression or apathy.

As well as being an underlying cause of another symptom, pain can also be the symptom of other features of PD, such as rigidity, dyskinesia, but also non-motor features, for example, depression and fatigue.

Identifying whether pain is at the root of the presenting complaint and what might be causing the pain is therefore the most important part of the initial history from the patient and the carer. Then using the clinical examination to confirm findings from the history and identify any features not already elicited such as abnormal posturing, or dystonia.

A recent review into the pathophysiology and treatment of pain in PD suggests simple analgesia with paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs but advises caution with opiate analgesia as constipation is a recognised problem in PD patients.25 The review mentions, however, the lack of evidence for many widely used analgesics specifically in PD.26

What To Do With Deep Brain Stimulation At The End Of Life

Late Stage Parkinson’s

Deep brain stimulation uses an Implantable Pulse Generator, usually placed in the infraclavicular area, connected to leads within the brain. There is a remote programmer, and also a charging unit in the case of a rechargeable device, which are given to the patient and their carer. It improves dyskinesias and also has a levodopa sparing effect.37

Deactivation of DBS may lead to increased symptom burden as mentioned in the section above and so awareness of features of PHS should be considered if there is failure at the end of life. Supportive treatment should be given if possible,38 and anticipation of symptoms of distress from rigidity and fever.

After death, deactivation of the device with the patients handheld programmer is required before removing the pulse generator and battery in the case of a cremation.

Recommended Reading: How Do You Treat Parkinson’s Disease Naturally

What To Expect In The Late Stages Of Parkinsons Disease

The late stages of PD are medically classified as stage four and stage five by the Hoehn and Yahr scale:

  • Stage Four of Parkinsons Disease In stage four, PD has progressed to a severely disabling disease. Patients with stage four PD may be able to walk and stand unassisted, but they are noticeably incapacitated. Many use a walker to help them. At this stage, the patient is unable to live an independent life and needs assistance with some activities of daily living. The necessity for help with daily living defines this stage. If the patient is still able to live alone, it is still defined as Stage Three.
  • Stage Five of Parkinsons Disease Stage five is the most advanced and is characterized by an inability to arise from a chair or get out of bed without help. They may have a tendency to fall when standing or turning, and they may freeze or stumble when walking. Around-the-clock assistance is required at this stage to reduce the risk of falling and help the patient with all daily activities. At stage five, the patient may also experience hallucinations or delusions.1,2

What Are The Risks Of Not Receiving Any Dopaminergic Medication

There is the possibility of neuroleptic malignant-like syndrome , a life-threatening and distressing condition resulting in rigidity and fever, from withdrawal of therapy.31 This can also occur with sudden cessation of Deep Brain Stimulation .32,33,34 To reduce the risk of this, dopaminergic therapy at the end of life should be continued.27 It should also be noted that in a patient dying of another condition, whose PD is still responsive to dopaminergic medication, the cessation of this also risks aspiration pneumonia.35 Transdermal rotigotine can be used in patients in whom a NG tube may cause excessive distress or is not possible. The dose should be calculated with an accepted converter.36

Recommended Reading: Signs Of Parkinson’s Disease

Myth : Parkinsons Is Only A Motor Condition

Fact: While its true that Parkinsons disease symptoms include shaking and tremor, rigid muscles, slowness of movement, and a frozen or flat expression, its a lot more than that.

Nonmotor symptoms deserve and are getting more attention from doctors and researchers. These symptoms include cognitive impairment or dementia , anxiety and depression, fatigue, sleep problems and more.

For some patients, nonmotor symptoms are more disabling than motor symptoms, which are the focus of treatment. Be sure to talk to your doctor about other issues so you can get all of your symptoms addressed.

When To Seek Hospice Care

Pin by Sung Song on Parkinson

When you or your loved one have a life expectancy of six months or less, you become eligible for hospice care a type of comfort care provided at the end of life for someone living with end-stage Parkinsons disease. Hospice provides extra support so your loved one can live as comfortably as possible.

If you have experienced a significant decline in your ability to move, speak, or participate in activities of daily living without caregiver assistance, its time to speak with a hospice professional.

Read more: What is hospice care?

Some of the things that determine whether your loved one with end-stage Parkinsons is eligible for hospice include: difficulty breathing, bed bound, unintelligible speech, inability to eat or drink sufficiently, and/or complications including pneumonia or sepsis.

If you live in South Jersey, our nurse care coordinator can answer your questions and decide if your loved one is ready for hospice care. Call us 24/7 at 229-8183.

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