Nursing Care Plan for Parkinson’s Disease: A Family’s Guide to Better Elderly Support
In the early 1800s, a London doctor named Dr. James Parkinson saw an unusual cluster of symptoms in six patients—shakiness, slowness, and stiffness. He called it the "Shaking Palsy." What he described would come to be called Parkinson's disease, a long-term neurodegenerative disorder that continues to afflict millions of older adults today.
More than two centuries later, we understand the disease so much better, but it remains incurable. What has changed, however, is how we manage it. A good nursing care plan for Parkinson's disease can make a difference in a patient's daily life, preserving their dignity, safety, and emotional well-being.
Here, we will discuss how a nursing care plan operates, what it is, and why Olive Eldercare is your first choice in treating Parkinson's in the elderly.
What Is a Nursing Care Plan?
The nursing care plan is a personalised, written document guiding nurses, caregivers, and families to deliver care that responds to the patient's needs. It involves:
- Health assessment findings
- Nursing diagnoses (derived from observed symptoms)
- Aims and expected outcomes
- Step-by-step interventions
- Ongoing assessment and modifications
In Parkinson's disease, the plan is centred on symptom minimisation, prevention of complications, and physical and emotional health.
» What Is Geriatric Nursing?: Here are details about the role and responsibilities explained.
The History and Significance of Parkinson's Disease
It was also named after Dr. James Parkinson and was clinically known in the mid-1800s. It was not until the 1960s that researchers discovered that a reduction in brain levels of dopamine was the causative factor. Dopamine helps control movement and mood, and when levels drop, typical features of tremor, stiffness, slowness, and postural imbalance are felt.
With time, patients also develop:
- Difficulty speaking
- Mood disorders such as depression or anxiety
- Sleep disorders
- Chewing and swallowing difficulty
- Cognitive impairment in later stages
That's why systematic nursing care planning for Parkinson's disease is not just a good idea.
Key Elements of a Nursing Care Plan for Parkinson's Disease
It should be a nursing care plan encompassing the patient's needs: nutrition, activities of daily living, emotional status, safety, and motor function.
1. Initial Patient Evaluation
The foundation of any care plan is a basic assessment. Nurses typically evaluate:
- Show the stage and course of the disease.
- Tremor frequency or amplitude, and rigidity
- Gait, balance, and the ability to do tasks
- Mental status and mood (e.g., depression, confusion)
- Nutritional intake and swallowing function
- Support systems at home
2. Five Core Nursing Diagnoses
The following are five of the most frequent nursing care plans utilised in the treatment of Parkinson's:
a. Physical Mobility Impairment
Objective: Maintain or improve function and independence
Nursing Interventions: Accompany the patient to physical therapy, give the patient mobility aids like walkers, and promote range-of-motion exercise.
b. Risk for Falls
Objective: Prevention of fall risk and injury
Nursing Interventions: Evaluate home safety, install grab bars, ensure proper illumination, and educate caregivers on safe mobility practices.
c. Impaired Verbal Communication
Objective: Develop communication skills
Nursing Interventions: Encourage speech therapy, use communication boards, and offer extra response time.
d. Self-Care Deficit
Objective: To facilitate living daily with dignity
Nursing Interventions: Provide aid to independence (e.g., button hooks), provide personal hygiene assistance, and establish structured daily routines.
e. Unbalanced Nutrition: Inadequate for Body Requirements
Objective: Normal weight and hydration
Nursing Interventions: Offer high-calorie foods that are easy to swallow, monitor for choking, and eat meals at regular intervals.
Directed Nursing Interventions
An effective nursing care plan for Parkinson's disease doesn't end at diagnosis—it comes alive through everyday practice.
Medication Management
- Adhere to the drug like Levodopa on schedule.
- Monitor for side effects (nausea, dizziness, hallucinations)
- Educate families on what each drug does.
Mobility and Exercise Support
- Facilitate strength training and balance exercises.
- Encourage brief, supervised walks.
- Reconfigure the home layout for easier navigation.
Cognitive and Emotional Support
- Offer reassurance in times of bewilderment.
- Match patients with support groups.
- Utilise music or art therapy to engage memory and imagination.
Nutrition and Swallowing
- Work with speech therapists on swallowing exercises.
- Provide soft foods, smoothies, and nutritional supplements.
- Encourage sitting upright during meals.
What is Optimal Care for Parkinson's Disease?
Ideal management of Parkinson's is holistic and is dependent on the patient's status. This includes:
- Medical care
- Daily nursing care
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Emotional counselling
- Caregiver education and support
Most importantly, care must be patient-centred, flexible, and compassionate.
Why Olive Elder Care for Geriatric Counselling?
We feel that at Olive Elder Care, the care for older adults should be holistic and empathetic in approach. Our nurses and caregivers are trained to formulate and implement individualised nursing care plans to treat Parkinson's disease, with the physical, emotional, and psychological care each client deserves.
Through our expert geriatric counselling services, we support not only the patient but also their caregivers and loved ones through therapy, education, and crisis intervention. We understand how overwhelming Parkinson's is, and we're dedicated to helping you through every step of the process.
What We Offer:
- Individualised care planning
- Skilled care and daily care
- Home safety evaluations
- Family and emotional counselling
- Routine health surveillance and reporting
Make Use of Geriatric Counselling Services at Olive Elder Care
Parkinson's disease not only affects the person, but it also affects the family. With Olive Elder Care services in Mumbai, you can be certain that your loved one gets the right medical care, emotional support, and dignity they deserve.
👉 Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn how our nursing care plans can ease the burden and enhance the lives of elderly individuals with Parkinson's disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a coordinated nursing plan that addresses physical, emotional, and dietary needs. It entails medical coordination, mobility assistance, fall prevention, and activities of daily living.
The five popular nursing care plans for Parkinson’s disease are:
- Impaired Physical Mobility
- Risk for Falls
- Impaired Verbal Communication
- Self-Care Deficit
- Unbalanced Nutrition
Nursing requires constant assessment, medication monitoring, physical protection, emotional stability, and assisting patients to be as independent as possible.
The optimal treatment combines medication, body function, mental health, and family support. It must be individualised to the patient and change as the disease advances.
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