New Parkinson’s Disease Pocket Guide: A Helpful Assistant for Busy Practitioners

Despite Medicare data showing that about 25% of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) reside in nursing homes, many practitioners may not have a lot experience diagnosing and managing this condition. As Nora Reznickova, MD, geriatrician at Colorado Permanente Medical Group Boulder, said, “Starting the differential diagnosis, aren’t necessarily comfortable PD patients. They feel like they necessary skills experience, worry they’ll miss more atypical Parkinsonian disorders.” Dr. Reznickova others AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute Long-Term Care Medicine worked on new pocket guide to help boost practitioners’ confidence addressing Essential effective treatment are: understanding all manifestations disease; recognizing importance basic, competent primary medical care; roles various disciplines, therapies, specialties; adopting concept realistic goal setting each patient. “The includes some tools difficult issues related PD, such as assessing only motor symptoms but nonmotor ones which are frequently overlooked,” said Reznickova. also gives tips how address during routine visits, noted. This is significant partly because patients tremendous palliative care needs, she stressed. “In guide, we mention study authors looked needs found were similar or higher than advanced cancer.” Having these conversations important, helps make them easier, less stressful, productive. At same time, indicated, general can be painful. “There no cure, hear. However, there treatments significantly improve quality life, talk those. For instance, I always encourage start exercising intensively capable.” Communication staff another challenge addresses. David Smith, CMD, president Geriatric Consultants Brownwood, TX, observed, “One greatest challenges physicians (and practice providers), from my own CNA [certified assistant] recognize condition changes caused by PD’s progression. Without information, prescribers often unable those earlier interventions.” To this, an integral history collaborate before prescriber comes facility. There information overload right now, Smith observed; although COVID-19 demands top priority, doesn’t mean everything else went vacation. “We need increasingly efficient find ways identify problems fix them. That tall order, can’t put off until after pandemic,” he said. one area attention, help. He “Parkinson’s progress over time. urgent will come forefront, PD-related psychosis, prompt action attention.” it’s important able subtle well. give resources identity changes, well obvious signs symptoms,” added, auxiliary brain” their teams. available package Society’s clinical guideline (CPG) disease. go https://paltc.org/product-store/parkinsons-disease-cpg-parkinsons-disease-psychosis-pocket-guide. CPG both paper digital versions. Senior contributing writer Joanne Kaldy freelance New Orleans, LA. communications consultant other organizations.