Parkinson's disease - functional impairment and who helps

Abstract

A total of 227 patients with Parkinson's disease, and their age, sex-matched, non-Parkinsonian controls were assessed for their ability to cope with everyday activities. Fifty-four patients and 21 controls were living in a hospital or residential home for the elderly. The help given by informal and formal carers of the remaining 173 patients and 206 controls living in their own homes was also noted. The speech of 32 (14%) patients and four (2%) controls was unintelligible. Seventy patients were housebound compared with 26 controls. Consistently greater numbers of patients were dependent for self-care tasks such as eating a meal and bathing. Similarly more patients were dependent in household tasks. One hundred and nine (63%) patients and 139 (68%) controls had practical help from their families more than once a week. Parkinson's sufferers received more statutory support, but fewer were able to live alone. Patients with Parkinson's disease are considerably more disabled in all aspects of everyday life, but receive similar family support as patients without the disease.

Biopsychosocial and Spiritual Aspects of Parkinson Disease

“…Because of the unavoidable progression of disabling symptoms, individuals also require assistance with ADL. Longstreth, Nelson, Linde, and Munoz (1992) and Strudwick, Mutch, and Dingwall-Fordyce (1990) examined the effects of PD on ADL and concluded that persons with PD were disabled in all aspects of everyday life. Going to the grocery store, for example, may be a difficult task for persons with PD because of the decreased motor control and rigidity that interferes with normal functioning.…”

Self-Management of Parkinson's Disease: Guidelines for Program Development and Evaluation

“…Despite best efforts and intention, impairment is expected to increase over time. Compared to peers without Parkinson's disease, persons with Parkinson's disease are more likely to require assistance to perform activities of daily living (ADL) and home management tasks (Strudwick, Mutch, & Dingwall-Fordyce, 1990;Tison, Barberger-Gateau, Dubroca, Henry, & Dartigues, 1997). It would, therefore, be logical to involve caregivers in self-management education.…”

Self-Management of Parkinson's Disease: Guidelines for Program Development and Evaluation

“…Compared to peers without Parkinson's disease, persons with Parkinson's disease are more likely to require assistance to perform activities of daily living (ADL) and home management tasks (Strudwick, Mutch, & Dingwall-Fordyce, 1990;Tison, Barberger-Gateau, Dubroca, Henry, & Dartigues, 1997). For example, Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder.…”