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Parkinsons 2016
December 05-07, 2016
Volume 6 Issue 6(Suppl) J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism
ISSN: 2161-0460 JADP, an open access journal
conferenceseries .com
December 05-07, 2016 Phoenix, USA
2nd International Conference on
Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders
Helen Senderovich, J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 2016, 6:6(Suppl)
Integration of Palliative Care in the management of Parkinson’s disease
Helen Senderovich
University of Toronto, Canada
Introduction: Parkinson disease (PD) is an increasingly prevalent terminal illness in a globally aging population. Despite
optimal medical management, prognosis remains poor – a fact seldom communicated to patients and/or their families.
Evidence suggests numerous benefits of palliative care consultation in advanced PD but to date, their services remain woefully
underutilized.
Objectives: To identify specific challenges to accessing and implementing palliative care in patients with advanced PD, and to
use this information to formulate recommendations for practice.
Methods: Literature review whereby recommendations for practice were formulated on the basis of primary quantitative/
qualitative data and consensus expert opinion.
Results: Accessing palliative care services for patients with PD remains a challenge for numerous factors including prognostic
uncertainty, misconceptions about what palliative care is, and difficulty recognizing when a patient is suitable for referral.
Strategies to improve access/delivery of palliative care to this population include education and proper discussion about
prognosis/goals of care. A team-based approach is essential as we move towards a model where symptom palliation exists
concurrently with active medical disease-modifying treatment.
Conclusion: Despite evidence that palliative care has a role in improving symptom control and overall quality of life in patients
with end-stage PD, a multitude of challenges exist and this ultimately hinders access to palliative care services. Education to
abolish pre-existing misconceptions about the role of palliative care and a movement towards a team-based approach focused
on simultaneous palliative and traditional medical care will undoubtedly improve access to, and benefit from, palliative care
services in this population.
Biography
Helen Senderovich is a physician at Baycrest Health Science System with practice focused on Palliative Care, Pain Medicine and Geriatrics. She is an Assistant
professor at the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and Division of Palliative Care at the University of Toronto who actively involved teaching medical
students and residents. She has a broad international experience and a solid research background. Her research was accepted nationally and internationally. She
is an author of multiple manuscripts focused on geriatrics, patient’s centered care, ethical and legal aspect of doctor patient relationship, palliative and end-of-life
care.