Risk Factors
Parkinson’s disease is one of the most devastating mental disorders observed in older adults. Due to the irreversibility of the health outcomes and their debilitating impact on a patient’s well-being, PD remains a consistent threat to the mental stability of aging adults. Since age is the primary risk factor for PD and since PD affects primarily older patients, the aging demographic should be seen as the primary group to be at risk. By introducing a combination of a medication-based treatment (Levodopa) and a cognitive behavioral therapy for assisting a patient to adjust to changes in the movement and perception, one will be able to alleviate the effects of PD.
Additionally, the possibility of developing a PD in an aging patient also depends on characteristics such as sex and race. Specifically, it has been proven that men are significantly more susceptible to developing PD than women (Brakedal et al., 2017). Although aging females also become increasingly exposed to the risk of developing PD, males face a much higher threat (Brakedal et al., 2017). Finally, some of the U.S. studies have pointed out that African American aging people are more likely to develop PD than their white counterparts (Brakedal et al., 2017). Therefore, the specified risk factors must be considered first when examining the probability of PD.
Symptom Presentation
Spotting PD at an early stage and addressing it accordingly represents one of the major objectives in reducing the adverse impact that PD has on aging people. For this purpose, identifying the symptoms associated with the physical movement of the patient at an early stage is vital. Specifically, the presence of PD can be located by noticing the details such as stiffness in the patient’s body and a noticeable drop in the speed with which the patient moves (Sardi et al., 2018). Furthermore, motion-related issues such as tremor in a patient’s hands or other limbs, head, and jaw can be the sign of a developing PD (Sardi et al., 2018). Therefore, focusing on the changes in the physical presentation of the patient, particularly, the manner in which he or she moves, is central to identifying the emergence of PD at an early stage and sleeking appropriate healthcare immediately. Thus, the progression of the disease can be slowed down to a noticeable extent.
Nursing Care
By encouraging patient awareness and the focus on changing patients’ perceptions in regard to their movement and the assessment of external factors, coupled with the sue of Levodopa, one will assist people with PD. Since the disorder affects primarily aging adults, the specified demographic must be regarded as the most vulnerable group to be considered. Although PD currently remains incurable, the quality and expectancy of a patient’s life can be improved significantly by introducing appropriate nursing care tools. Namely, the use of exercises for improving the physical mobility of a patient should be seen as one of the main techniques in alleviating the effects of PD on the target demographic (Dorsey & Bloem, 2018). In addition to a set of exercises aimed at controlling the extent of the patient’s movements, a nurse will need to incorporate the therapeutically framework based on the management of the thought process. Along with the required medication (primarily, Levodopa), a patient will have to be assessed for the presence of depressive behaviors and provided with therapy aimed at active listening and promotion of patient agency (Dorsey & Bloem, 2018). Coupled with an empathy-based attitude of a nurse, the proposed plan will help make the patient’s life significantly better.
References
Brakedal, B., Flønes, I., Reiter, S. F., Torkildsen, Ø., Dölle, C., Assmus, J., & Tzoulis, C. (2017). Glitazone use associated with reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease. Movement Disorders, 32(11), 1594-1599. Web.
Dorsey, E. R., & Bloem, B. R. (2018). The Parkinson pandemic—a call to action. JAMA Neurology, 75(1), 9-10. Web.
Sardi, S. P., Cedarbaum, J. M., & Brundin, P. (2018). Targeted therapies for Parkinson’s disease: from genetics to the clinic. Movement Disorders, 33(5), 684-696. Web.