Parkinson’s disease is a progressive brain condition with no cure, affecting movement, mental health, sleep, and overall well-being. One challenge that surprises many families is when their loved one experiences hallucinations, a symptom that can affect 20-40 percent of Parkinson’s patients as the disease advances.
For those navigating these challenges, in-home Parkinson’s care can provide essential support and help manage symptoms in a familiar, comforting environment.
What Are Hallucinations Like for Parkinson’s Patients?
Hallucinations occur when the brain tricks a person into believing something is happening that isn’t. These episodes happen while the person is fully awake and are not dreams. They may involve one or multiple senses at the same time.
For Parkinson’s patients, hallucinations are often a side effect of medication and are typically brief and not harmful. With the support of in-home Parkinson’s care, patients can receive the monitoring and assistance they need to manage these symptoms in a comfortable and safe environment.
Five Types of Hallucinations
- Visual: This is the most common type of hallucination for someone with Parkinson’s disease. They might see an animal nearby or even a deceased loved one.
- Auditory: A few Parkinson’s patients may hallucinate hearing voices or sounds that are not present like someone saying their name or hearing a non-existent alarm.
- Tactile: These hallucinations are brought on by feeling something on the skin that isn’t there like bugs crawling and are uncommon in Parkinson’s patients.
- Olfactory: Very few Parkinson’s Patients struggle with this hallucination that involves smelling a scent that isn’t present, like smoke.
- Gustatory: Based on tasting something abnormal, this hallucination is also uncommon for those with Parkinson’s disease.
Tips for Helping Your Loved One Having a Hallucination
Knowing what to do when your loved one is having a hallucination is key to helping him manage it with less stress.
First, remain calm, ask him to explain what he is seeing or hearing, and make sure what he thinks is happening isn’t. Once you know it’s a hallucination, consider shifting his focus to something else. If he says a room smells like smoke, suggest you go outside for a bit. If he sees someone standing outside the window, offer a reason to walk away from the window.
By being calm and offering distractions, you can prevent your loved one from taking actions that may harm him.
Recurring Hallucinations May Require Extra In-home Parkinson’s Care
If your loved one is struggling with repeated hallucinations, you might find you no longer feel comfortable having him stay home alone. You might worry about what actions he’ll take if a particular hallucination occurs or if he’ll end up hurting himself. For that reason, as a caregiver, it might be time to get some extra in-home Parkinson’s care so you can still manage all of the other responsibilities life throws your way, in addition to caring for your loved one.
Having a care provider trained in assisting with in-home Parkinson’s care can allow you to run errands, make meals, or just find a little time to retreat into a restful place for some rejuvenation. An in-home Parkinson’s care provider can stay with your loved one and help him with some daily care needs as well as provide company so that no matter what he’s going through, even if you aren’t there at the moment, he has someone to keep him safe.
If you or an aging loved one are considering In-Home Parkinson’s Care in Kirkland, WA, please contact the caring staff at Acti-Kare Responsive In Home Care today!
Acti-Kare provides exceptional senior home care across King County, Pierce County, and Snohomish County; including Bellevue, Kirkland, Kenmore, Bothell, Lynnwood, Woodinville, Redmond, Sammamish, Shoreline, Everett, Renton, Tacoma, and surrounding areas.
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