See What Parkinson’s Disease Hallucinations Are With Your Opelika, AL Comfort Keepers®
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a central nervous system disorder that is most common in seniors age 60 and older. It generally begins with a barely noticeable tremor in the hands, with symptoms that increase in severity as the disease progresses.
While there are many motor symptoms associated with PD, it is important to remember that there are non motor symptoms as well. Your loved one with PD may experience things like insomnia and vivid dreams, vision problems and dizziness, or hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations and delusions can be particularly difficult to cope with and can cause undue stress for your loved one.
It is estimated that around 50% of people with PD will experience hallucinations or delusions.
Give us a call at (334) 749-8461 to learn more!
Hallucinations And Delusions: What Should I Know?
Right now there is no way to accurately predict which people with PD will experience hallucinations or delusions or even explain what causes them in the first place. There are, however, theories. One theory supposes that the hallucinations and delusions are simply a natural part of the progression of PD, while another states that they may be a side effect of certain dopamine therapies. Risk factors may include:
- Certain medications that increase dopamine levels
- Duration and severity of Parkinson’s
- Getting older
Healthcare providers may refer to these hallucinations or delusions as Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis, or PDP.
What Signs Should I Be Aware Of?
It is extremely important to pay attention to any warning signs that your loved one may be experiencing PDP. Hallucinations can worsen over time, potentially making it harder for the person experiencing them to tell whether or not what they experience is real. This can be stressful and may increase the need for additional assistance in the home.
Signs that a loved one may be experiencing hallucinations can include: seeing, smelling, tasting, hearing, or feeling things that are not really there.
Signs that a loved one may be experiencing delusions can include:
- Thinking someone is trying to steal from, harm, or deceive them
- Believing their loved one is being unfaithful
- Thinking a TV show or song is talking directly to them
If you believe that one of your loved ones is experiencing PDP, the best course of action is to speak with a specialist.
Comfort Keepers®: In Home Care That Makes A Difference
We all need a little bit of extra help now and then, and this is where your local, friendly Comfort Keepers® can step in. Our caregivers are compassionate and want to ensure that your loved one is living their golden years to the fullest.
Not only do our caregivers provide crucial in home care services for people with PD, such as transportation to doctor’s appointments, meal planning and preparation, and housekeeping, they provide Interactive Caregiving™. Interactive Caregiving™ is our in home care philosophy that seniors are happiest and healthiest when they are supported mentally, physically, and socially.
Your loved one will be able to take an active role in their care by working with their caregiver come up with delicious meals that they enjoy, scheduling times to spend time with friends and family, planning an exercise routine, if they are able, and so much more. At Comfort Keepers®, our goal is to provide your loved one with everything they need to feel safe, happy, and independent within their own homes, rather than “the home”.
If you’d like to learn more about Comfort Keepers® available Parkinson’s Disease in home care services, our full list of care services available in Opelika, or if you’d like to schedule your free in home consultation, please contact us online anytime or call us at (334) 749-8461.
Resources For People With Parkinson’s Disease
- National Parkinson’s Foundation: Improves the lives of people with Parkinson’s by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. They build on the energy, experience, and passion of their global Parkinson’s community.
- American Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA): The American Parkinson’s Disease Association is the largest grassroots network dedicated to fighting Parkinson’s disease and works tirelessly to help the approximately one million people with Parkinson’s to live life to the fullest.
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research: The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson’s today.
- Davis Phinney Foundation For Parkinson’s: This foundation provides essential information, practical tools, and inspiration to people living with Parkinson’s and funds early phase, innovative research that focuses on exercise, speech, movement, and other factors that affect quality of life. Their goal is to help people with Parkinson’s live well today.
