CPD – End Stages of Parkinsons: Offering Support

Hands shivering and facing difficulties in sleeping are some signs that alert us that there is something wrong. When your loved ones are barely able to talk, their shoulders become stiff and they struggle to even get dressed. That is the start of the end stages of Parkinsons disease. As this life-taking disease progresses, families have no option but to offer support and provide the right care for the patient. The harsh reality is nearly 15 million people in the world live with this disease. While it is not completely curable, the right knowledge and care can help slow down the symptoms and give them better end-of-life support in the final stages.

This CPD is designed to spread knowledge and awareness to the healthcare staff, care workers, and those supporting someone in the end stages of Parkinsons. It will teach you how to manage last-stage symptoms and provide support with confidence. Through this course, you’ll learn to make informed decisions about the patient’s end-of-life wishes. By joining this course, you’ll gain the latest insights and tools to navigate this journey with kindness, empathy, and compassion.

What do the end stages of Parkinsons mean?

It is the final and the most advanced stage of Parkinsons disease. During the end stages of Parkinsons symptoms are more severe and exhausting, eventually affecting every part of the person’s life. While the early stages of Parkinsons offer more independence, the final stages are more serious and require intensive medical and care support. The primary differentiator of the final stages is the complete loss of movement and balance. Patients experience symptoms such as muscle stiffness, lack of balance, and difficulty walking without support. Moreover, patients are prone to dangerous infections such as pneumonia or UTI, which is the cause for less dignity amongst them.

The majority of the patients who are in the end stages of Parkinsons struggle with the decline of mental and thinking abilities. This leads to confusion, memory loss, and difficulty in communicating. It is a very stressful and challenging time for the patient and the family members because their personality completely changes into someone who they are not. Apart from these symptoms, depression, anxiety and loneliness come in the way due to the loss of complete independence and constant medications.

Symptoms to look out for during the end stages of Parkinsons

As the disease progresses into its final stages’ patients experience severe physical, mental, and emotional challenges. The end stages of Parkinsons are a sign that treatments no longer show their magic and the patient needs only full-time care. An understanding of these symptoms is important for the care workers and the family members to create a plan for their comfort and dignity in their final days.

Motor Symptoms:

• They cannot walk due to rigidity and stiffness in the muscles. As a result, they always require a wheelchair or they are completely bedridden.
• Rigidity in the muscles causes difficulty in moving.
• Difficulty in communicating due to shaken speech, low vocal volumes, and difficulty in forming words.
• Difficulty swallowing and leading to choking risk and malnutrition.

Non-Motor Symptoms:

• Loss of memory and confusion which is often accompanied by changes in behaviour.
• Bad dreams and hallucinations are often due to diseases or medicines.
• Loss of bladder and bowel movements.
• Continuous exhaustion, even with minimal movement.
• Poor sleeping patterns due to difficulty sleeping peacefully.

Course Preview

Supporting someone during the end stages of Parkinsons requires emotional and physical responsibility. When the disease reaches its final leg, the patient goes to restricted movements, loss of memory, and strict medication. This course is for all those who are supporting some and making their life easy and peaceful during their end days. You will gain useful information regarding its symptoms, challenges, and end-of-life care planning during this course. Let us look at some of the key learning outcomes for this course:

• Identify the key symptoms for the final stages of Parkinson and their consequences in daily life.
• Discover how to plan and execute proper care strategies to solve movement issues, pain management, and swallowing problems.
• Focus on high-quality end-of-life care to enhance the patient’s dignity and their final days.
• Learn to support family members by giving them the required advice on coping with the pain and better emotional well-being.

Syllabus

Taking care of your loved ones during the end stages of Parkinsons is indeed an emotional and draining journey. As it enters its final stages the patients face extreme symptoms such as difficulty in movements, memory loss, and complete dependence on the care workers. This course will help you simplify the complex knowledge and every module will make sure you get the theory and practical aspects of the topic. Let us look at the key modules that you will be studying throughout the course:

1. Detailed understanding of the final stages of Parkinsons
2. Knowing symptoms during the last stages of Parkinsons
3. Learning how to manage physical challenges with the right support
4. Mental and emotional support for the patient and their families
5. Planning for the patient’s palliative care and their end-of-life wishes
6. Strategies for coping up and better well-being

Entry Requirements

This course is open for family members, care workers, and healthcare staff dealing with patients who are in their end stages of Parkinsons. There are strict requirements to join this role and you don’t need any experience or fancy degrees. All we need from you is to have basic knowledge of Parkinsons disease and an open mind to learn and grasp the knowledge. This course is for both freshers and experienced people who want to improve their knowledge and skills in order to support people.

Planning ahead for those in the end stages of Parkinsons

Once the patient enters during the end stages of Parkinsons, discussions, and planning end-of-life care become more important than ever. Conversations about end-of-life wishes make sure that the family members and the care workers respect the patient’s last wishes. By doing this, families can also focus on giving love, and comfort and spend some quality time for the final time.

Understanding the different end-of-life care options

• An all-round approach for a better management of symptoms, reducing the symptoms and providing emotional support for both the patient and their loved ones.
• Choosing hospice care for the patient when treatments are no longer effective. Making sure that they spend their final days in a peaceful and comfortable environment.
• Sometimes family members prefer home-based care for their loved ones. This can be done with the help of community care workers and healthcare staff.

Discussing the patient’s final wishes and documenting them

• Make sure to prepare the legal documents such as treatment preferences, will writing, or any funeral decisions.
• Appointing someone whom they trust to make medical decisions on behalf of the patient when they are not able to do it.
• Trying to fulfil their personal wishes such as where they wish to receive the care, religious places they want to visit, or who should be beside them in their final moments.

Taking the next step in supporting those during the end stages of Parkinsons

When people reach the end stages of Parkinsons, their dignity, comfort, and emotional well-being are their top priorities. We should keep them at ease and help them spend their last days happily. Understanding end-stage Parkinson’s symptoms and how to minimise them is essential. End-of-life care ensures their final wishes are honoured and they receive high-quality support.

The College of Contract Management is committed to supporting people and healthcare providers with the right knowledge and skills to be able to handle these critical situations with empathy and compassion. The CPD – End Stages of Parkinsons: Offering Support will give you the necessary training to deliver effective care. You'll get to ensure patients receive a high quality of life in their final stages. Take the first step now, and register today. Let the College help you support those who need you in their difficult times.

We are almost on the verge of finalising the course schedule for the CPD – End Stages of Parkinsons: Offering Support and will share it with you once we get the confirmation from the teaching faculties. Should there be any changes in the course, we will keep you updated. In the meantime, if you have any questions or doubts, please feel free to send them via email or our live chat services. Our support staff will get back to you at the earliest.