Pottsville, Pennsylvania
1078 PA-61, Pottsville, PA 17901
(570) 621-2800
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All About Parkinson’s

Comfort Keepers In-Home Care in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

Learning What Parkinson’s Disease Hallucinations And Delusions Are In Pottsville, PA

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a central nervous system disorder that primarily affects seniors age 60 and older. PD begins gradually, often with a barely noticeable tremor in the hands, with symptoms progressing in severity over the course of the disease. 

There are many symptoms that people with PD may experience, both motor and non motor, although many people aren’t as aware of the non motor symptoms. Patients may experience things like sweating and body aches, loss of mental sharpness, dizziness, or hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations or delusions can be particularly insidious, causing unnecessary stress on you or you loved one. 

Did you know that it is estimated that around 50% of people with PD will experience hallucinations or delusions?

Why Might People With Parkinson’s Experience Hallucinations And Delusions?

While it is true that there are no concrete explanations for what causes PD related hallucinations or delusions there are a couple of theories. One suggests that they could be a side effect of certain dopamine therapies, while another supposes that they are simply a natural progression of PD. Risk factors can 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 Be Aware Of?

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!

In Home Care That Makes A Difference

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 how Comfort Keepers® can provide the best care for you or your loved one with Parkinson’s Disease, our full list of in home care services available in Pottsville, or if you’d like to schedule your free in home consultation, please contact us online any time or call us at (570) 621-2800.

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.