The Rise Of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder. People with Parkinson’s have a deficiency in dopamine which results in tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia and autonomic dysfunction. According to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) (2010), out of every 100,000 people, between 120 and 230 people are living with Parkinson’s in Scotland. Furthermore Parkinson’s disease can affect people from all age groups and ethnic backgrounds. However the majority of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s are over the age of 60 (Better health better care Parkinson’s disease Society, 2007) Furthermore SIGN (2010) state that the age related incidence of Parkinson disease means that within the next 25 years the number of people with Parkinson’s will rise by 25-30%. …show more content…
Therefore a patient with Parkinson’s may experience particular issues with walking, experiencing tremors, muscle rigidity and slowness when mobilising (Parkinson’s disease Society, 2007). These factors can contribute to the risk of falls among patients with Parkinson’s disease. In addition complications of Parkinson’s can include aspiration, dementia, and injuries resulting from falls. According to Better Health Better Care Parkinson Disease Society (2007) Parkinson disease affects all aspects of daily living for an individual. It can be argued that managing falls in patients’ with Parkinson disease is very important in maintaining the health and independence of the