Patient/caregiver was educated on findings to watch for and report to the doctor for Parkinson’s Disease as follows:
- Stiffness and rigidity of muscles involving the face and jaw in Parkinson’s patients could progressively lead to difficulties with chewing and safe swallowing. Difficulty with chewing in Parkinson’s patients can lead to reduced saliva production and consequently result in dry mouth, which can make the swallowing even more difficult. Impaired safe swallowing function can lead to severe complications such as, aspiration pneumonia and death. Difficulty with chewing and swallowing could lead to the individual losing interest in food and nutrition intake. Caregivers must closely follow for symptoms of worsening malnutrition and dehydration. Individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and caregivers must maintain a close watch on the patient’s ability to chew and swallow. Report to the physician regarding any new or progressively increasing difficulties with chewing and swallowing for recommendations on appropriate interventions.
- The rigidity, difficulty initiating movements, and loss of automatic body movements in Parkinson’s patients can impair balance and coordination, thus increasing risk for fall & accidents. Caregivers must encourage patient compliance with use of recommended assistive devices for fall prevention. Report to the physician regarding any sustained falls, increasing frequency of accidents, and worsening imbalance and coordination for further recommendations.
- In Parkinson’s patients, the centers in the brain sensing the blood pressure changes and sending signals to the heart to compensate for the blood pressure changes could be affected. Compromised function of these centers in Parkinson’s patients result in poor regulation of blood pressure and heart rate numbers with sudden position changes, leading to episodes of confusion and dizziness. Report to the physician regarding any growing confusion and dizziness with sudden change in positions of the patient.
