Learning About Parkinson’s Disease In Bethlehem, PA

If you or a loved one are suffering from Parkinson’s Disease (PD), you’re probably all too familiar with the motor symptoms associated with the disease. There are a variety of symptoms, both motor and non motor, that people with PD can experience and today we’ll be looking at hallucinations and delusions. 

It is estimated that around 50% of people with PD will experience hallucinations or delusions, although there is currently no accurate way to tell who will experience them. 

What Causes Parkinson’s Disease Hallucinations And Delusions?

While there is currently no accurate way to predict which people with PD will experience hallucinations or delusions, there are theories about what may cause them. One states that hallucinations or delusions are simply a natural progression of PD, while another supposes that they may be a side effect of certain dopamine therapies. Risk factors 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. 

Are There Signs To Look For?

How can you tell if your loved one is experiencing PD related hallucinations or delusions? Well, there are a few signs that you can be on the lookout for:

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

Due to the potential severity of hallucinations and delusions, it is extremely important to pay attention to any signs that your loved one may be experiencing them. They can become worse over time, making the person experiencing them to be unsure of what is really real and potentially causing stress and anxiety. 

If you believe that your loved one is experiencing hallucinations or delusions, be sure to contact their specialist!

How Comfort Keepers® In Home Care Can Help! 

No matter what age we are, young or old, we all need a little bit of help sometimes, and that’s where your local Comfort Keepers® can step in! Our caregivers do so much more than simply provide in home care to people with PD, they provide Interactive Caregiving™. 

Interactive Caregiving™ is our in home care philosophy that states that seniors are happiest and healthiest when they are fully supported mentally, physically, and socially. At Comfort Keepers®, our goal is to provide your senior with the support they need to be safe and secure in their own home, without making them feel as though they have lost their independence. 

We want your loved one to do everything they enjoy, from trying exciting new recipes, to doing the daily newspaper crossword, to taking a class at the local senior center, to spending time with family and friends. We’d love to help your senior do more than simply view and make their golden years shine even brighter!

If you’d like to learn more about Parkinson’s Disease in home care services, how our compassionate caregivers can assist your family, or if you’d like to schedule your free in home consultation, please contact us online any time or call us at (610) 759-7554.

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.