Biopsychosocial Assessment
A biopsychosocial assessment is a comprehensive evaluation procedure for people diagnosed with Parkinson’s. It involves evaluating a person’s physical, psychological, social, and biomedical assessment. Detection and evaluation of diseases have advanced; thus, in this case, a support vector machine will be used to determine the stage and severity of the patient’s issues (Lahmiri & Shmuel, 2019). This is done following the order of the severity and prioritizing the direst issues in terms of their impact on the patient.
In this case, the patient is Mr. George Anderson; he is seventy-nine years old. Some of the immediate issues presented by Mr. Anderson comprised physical health, mental health, and social support (Meeks, 2006). Extensive tests were conducted to establish the order of prioritization of the identified issues.
Physical Health
The patient reported experiencing fatigue, low concentration, memory loss, and unintentional weight loss. Additionally, he had restless nights and, in some cases, insomnia. These issues had impacted the quality of his life and that of his wife. A detailed medical history search revealed no underlying conditions regarding family genetics or other factors. Nonetheless, his physical health was prioritized because his health depended on his ability to rest adequately, which was impossible in his case.
Psychological Health
The patient had proof of psychological issues attributed to his old age. Some of the topics identified comprised memory loss, cognitive decline, and sleeplessness. The problems were impacting his life adversely, and the psychiatric assessment will help identify these issues and determine whether medication or psychotherapy is needed. The patient will be referred to a mental health professional to ensure he receives the care he requires to prevent the effects of these psychological issues.
Social Support
The individual may be experiencing social isolation, lack of social support, or loss of social connections due to aging, retirement, or loss of loved ones. In this case, Mr. Anderson no longer finds enjoyment in activities that used to bring him happiness, and this causes him to decline invitations. These concerns may impact his mental health, leading to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other psychological challenges (Meeks, 2006). According to de Oliveira Braga et al. (2019), progressive social engagement for the patient helps to accelerate their recovery process. Therefore, Mr. Anderson must participate in social activities and interact with friends and relatives since this will contribute to the success of his treatment.
Treatment Plan
The treatment plan for Mr. Anderson will depend on his symptoms’ severity and prior medical history. Based on the record, he is in remission for prostate cancer and had gout and glaucoma previously. The main focus of this treatment plan is to develop a plan that caters to all the immediate conditions without interfering with the previous issues and without forgetting his needs as a patient. Even though the disease can be treated, there is no definitive cure. As such most medications are for managing the symptoms to promote the quality of life for the patients.
Medication Management
Medication management is essential to treating Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. The prescription chosen is dependent on the severity of the patient’s symptoms. However, in the case of Mr. Anderson, the symptoms were not endangering any life since they were less severe. Drugs that deplete dopamine in the body, like reserpine and tetrabenazine, will not be prescribed to avoid endangering the patient’s life (de Oliveira Braga et al., 2019). It is also essential to gather information on any medication the patient takes to prevent unprecedented reactions that could cause harm to the patient’s health. Parkinson’s disease medication entails a cocktail of Levodopa and Monoamine Oxidase-B (MOA-B).
Levodopa is one of the most frequently prescribed medications for PD. this drug is usually converted to dopamine in the brain and helps to manage and control any physical and psychomotor effects of the disease, like tremors. Mr. Anderson will be prescribed this drug to manage his tremors and shuffling gait (Macchi et al., 2020). Nevertheless, he will also be given a carbidopa prescription because the Levodopa cannot be taken independently to prevent it from converting to dopamine before it reaches the brain. Additionally, the dosage is only always constant; adjustments may be made as time progresses depending on the prevalence of the symptoms portrayed by the patient. If they become severe, then the dosage is increased, and vice versa is true.
Another medication that would be prescribed to the patient is dopamine agonist; the medication helps to manage psychomotor symptoms. It may be combined with Levodopa to manage the tremors and gaits because they will likely increase as time progresses. There are different types of agonists, and they are prescribed depending on the needs of the patients; however, in the case of Mr. Anderson, the most appropriate medication will depend on its interaction with his cancer medication (Parkinson’s Treatment Options, 2019). The drug of choice should be neutral to the drugs prescribed for his cancer. One type of Dopamine Agonist that will be prescribed to the patient is the MAO-B inhibitor. These drugs are safe and will not cause any harm to the patient or interfere with his cancer treatment. Most medications used in the treatment of PD have side effects and the potential to interfere with other medications; medical management is, therefore very, essential.
Physical and Occupational Therapy
In this patient’s case, physical therapy will be minimal because he is still fit and able to perform his obligations without help. He can move freely, and his mobility is still intact. As such physical therapy will be minimal; however, regular checkups will be prescribed to ensure that his condition is managed and the earliest signs of deterioration detected as early as possible. According to his assessment, his driving is the only thing he needs help with. Though he does not need the therapy, he will be subjected to medical checkups to ensure his condition makes no progress further without being noticed and necessary action is taken.
Ongoing Needs
The patients’ needs will vary depending on the prevalence of the symptoms. There are categories; long-term and immediate needs. Some of the immediate needs comprise; Nutritional support: patients may experience weight loss, and constipation, so a healthy diet is essential. A dietitian can work with the patient to develop a meal plan appropriate for their needs. Cognitive support: patients experience cognitive changes, like memory loss and impaired executive function. Proper assessment helps to provide the needed support and develop strategies to improve cognitive function. Long-term needs comprise; Caregiver Support: As the disease progresses, the patient will require increasing levels of care. Family members or caregivers may need support to care for a patient. Palliative care: patients may require palliative care to manage pain, discomfort, and other symptoms associated with the disease. Palliative care can help to maintain the patient’s quality of life and provide comfort and support to the patient and their family.
Therapeutic Intervention
Therapeutic interventions are a crucial part of treating Parkinson’s disease; different patients have varying needs depending on the stage of the disease. Mr. Anderson is no exception because he experiences restless nights and dreams and thrashes his body throughout the night, affecting his life quality. Various therapeutic interventions will be employed to prevent the symptoms from progressing further, and they include psychopharmacological treatments and talking therapies (Heyman & Congress, 2018). These interventions involve administering anti-anxiety and antidepressants medication, which will help reduce sleeplessness and depression.
Additionally, the patient will be advised on the diet he should consume to prevent being weakened by the medication. For the prescribed drugs to work effectively, the patient has to consume specific diets; on this, he will be advised accordingly. Proper hydration is critical to preventing any complications that may arise from the disease. However, for these interventions to be effective, a comprehensive evaluation of the patient’s dietary needs will be conducted to determine the nutrients they need and how to maintain their health. The patient and his wife will be educated on the needs and care needed by a PD patient (Mishra et al., 2019). This intervention will involve giving them the basics of this disease regarding the symptoms, treatment options, and the strategies needed to manage the symptoms and improve the patient’s quality of life.
Resources Coordination
Management and treatment of Parkinson’s disease require various resources to be used simultaneously to achieve the intended outcome. Additionally, the extent of resources used is dependent on the stage of the disease; those with progressed levels need higher and extensive resource combinations, while patients with lower stages only require simpler combinations. Mr. Anderson has a lower level of PD; therefore, his requirements for resource combinations are lower. Some resources that will be utilized to manage his symptoms’ impacts include support groups and occupational and physical therapy. According to Meinders et al. (2021), organizations like the Parkinson’s Foundation and the American Disease Association have established support programs for PD patients. Social support groups will be essential in reducing his social withdrawal; he will begin interacting with others, thereby preventing social isolation. The patients become less isolated with each meeting, which has helped many in dealing with the effects of the disease.
Over time support groups have ensured that patients are accorded the care and attention they require. This has been enabled by social work services sponsored by governments and private organizations. Social workers play a significant role in providing professional care to patients (Heyman & Congress, 2018). Though medication is essential, social workers are pivotal to the recovery and rehabilitation process of the patients.
Consequently, coordination of resources during the treatment of PD solely revolves around the different types of resources needed. Therefore, Mr. Anderson will need specialized care from family and professional caregivers. Emotional and cognitive support will be essential in helping the patient navigate the symptoms of the disease. In most cases, social workers help the family and the patients because, after some time, it becomes hard for most people to meet the needs of their diseased kin.
Occupational and physical therapy will help the patient reduce his tremors and shuffling gaits, and he will be able to regain mastery of his motor skills (Mishra et al., 2019). The symptoms are likely to progress, impairing his mobility and other motor functions; therefore, with the help of these therapy sessions, Mr. Anderson can manage these symptoms and perform his activities with little to no help. It is essential for family members to offer support both emotionally and physically because this has a far more significant impact on the effort the patient puts into his recovery process, without which the resources will be barely successful.
References
de Oliveira Braga, H., Gregório, E. C., Myra, R. S., de Souza, A. S. K., Kunh, T. V., Klug, J., & Swarowsky, A. (2019). Empower-PD-A physical therapy intervention to empower the individuals with Parkinson’s disease: a study protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 5(1), 1-14. Web.
Heyman J. C. & Congress E. P. (2018). Health and Social Work: Practice Policy and Research. Springer Publishing Company.
Lahmiri, S., & Shmuel, A. (2019). Detection of Parkinson’s disease based on voice patterns ranking and optimized support vector machine. Biomedical Signal Processing and Control, 49, 427-433. Web.
Macchi, Z. A., Koljack, C. E., Miyasaki, J. M., Katz, M., Galifianakis, N., Prizer, L. P. & Kluger, B. M. (2020). Patient and caregiver characteristics associated with caregiver burden in Parkinson’s disease: a palliative care approach. Annals Palliative Medicine, S24-33. Web.
Meeks, T. W. (2006). Coping with Parkinson’s Disease. Oxford University Press.
Meinders, M. J., Gentile, G., Schrag, A. E., Konitsiotis, S., Eggers, C., Taba, P. & Groot, M. M. (2021). Advance Care Planning and Care Coordination for People With Parkinson’s Disease and Their Family Caregivers—Study Protocol for a Multicentre, Randomized Controlled Trial. Frontiers in Neurology. Web.
Mishra, S. R., Klasnja, P., MacDuffie Woodburn, J., Hekler, E. B., Omberg, L., Kellen, M., & Mangravite, L. (2019). Supporting Coping with Parkinson’s Disease Through Self Tracking. In Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1–16). Web.