PYC4813 ASSIGNMENT 3 .

PYC4813 ASSIGNMENT 3 . PYC4813 - Cognitive NeuroScience. Description of the consultant The consultant is a psychological counsellor in a Neuro-assessment and rehabilitation unit at the Local University Hospital. The consultant’s position is to assist the neurologists and the rehabilitation specialists with providing the patients and the unit with psychological support, psycho-educational and psychological counselling services and contributing to the multi-disciplinary team regarding rehabilitation management and support of patients of the unit.[ CITATION UNI20 l 1033 ] 3. Focus of the consultation The Primary focus of the consultation would be firstly, to attemt to develop a treatment and possible rehabilitation management plan of Parkinson’s disease for Mrs. Seedat. The second focus will be to help Mrs. Seedat comprehend her diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and discuss the implications of her progressions and help her differentiate between Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease.[ CITATION UNI20 l 1033 ] 4. Consultant’s observation of the clients situation It is my opinion that Mrs. Seedat is confused by the implications of her situation, her diagnosis and how this diagnosis would affect her daily functioning as well as the long-term affects of Parkinson’s disease. Mrs. Seedat’s son had conducted research on Parkinson’s disease. Her son explained what he had learnt and this seemed to provide her with more confusion regarding the symptoms, psychologic, physical and cognitive with regards to Parkinson’s disease. Mrs. Seedat was unable to differentiate between Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease.[ CITATION UNI20 l 1033 ] 5. Client’s observation of her own situation Mrs. Seedat knows that she has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease but has difficulty understanding what the diagnosis is or how it may affect her life going forward. She also struggles to comprehend the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.[ CITATION UNI20 l 1033 ] This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :46:50 GMT -05:00 This study resource was shared via CourseH 6. Clarification of the consultation problem Mrs. Seedat lacks clarification of her diagnosis and prognosis regarding Parkinson’s disease. Mrs. Seedat unfortunately lacks the necessary knowledge that will help her differentiate between Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease.[ CITATION UNI20 l 1033 ] 7. Consultant’s understanding of the clients situation Mrs. Seedat requested more information on her diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. I addressed Mrs. Seedat’s request by discussing the relevant information to help her make sense of her condition. Parkinson’s is a neurological disease that affects movement of the body. Parkinson’s affects the nervous system of an individual and can cause tremors or unintended movement. Symptoms usually start gradually, but can worsen with time. Parkinson’s disease is common among the elderly and cannot be cured but can be treated to help manage the symptoms. The symptoms and severity of Parkinson’s disease differ between each individual. The most common symptoms are tremors (the unintended movement/shaking of body parts that tend to present themselves in limbs), Changes in speech patterns (less control over volume and tone of your voice), muscle stiffness (this can happen anywhere in the body and can limit regular movements), slowing of movement (can make daily tasks feel like a burden) and loss of unconscious movement. Due to these symptoms affecting your nervous system, they may only show themselves on one side of the body. These symptoms however do not affect everyone, but are very This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :46:50 GMT -05:00 This study resource was shared via CourseH common among those with Parkinson’s Disease.[ CITATION Par17 l 1033 ] Parkinson’s can cause a patient to struggle to swallow or chew food, sleep issues (struggling to fall asleep or waking up during the night) and psychological issues (brain fog, depression and dementia) [ CITATION Par02 l 1033 ] In the long-term, Parkinson’s cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be lessened using medication and lifestyle changes. All the symptoms mentioned above may not be present in every case but regular checkups with a medical doctor are essential for assessment and for treatment. 8. Client’s understanding of her own situation Mrs. Seedat expressed confusion regarding the difference between Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s. After I explained her diagnosis of Parkinson’s, I helped her differentiate between diseases by explaining each disease individually. Firstly, I explained the outline of Parkinson’s again to refresh her memory. This included that Parkinson’s is a neurological disease that affects movement of the body. I explained the symptoms to Mrs. Seedat and explained that this disease cannot be cured but can be treated.[ CITATION Par02 l 1033 ] Secondly, I explained that Huntington’s is a hereditary genetic disease that breaks down nerve cells in the brain.[ CITATION Ove02 l 1033 ] Huntington’s disease is usually apparent between the ages of 30 to 50 and cannot be cured, the symptoms of Huntington’s are very severe, and the disease is fatal. This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :46:50 GMT -05:00 This study resource was shared via CourseH The symptoms of Huntington’s include difficulty speaking, irregular behaviour, and involuntary movements of the body. Huntington’s disease is hereditary, every child born with the Huntington’s disease gene has a 50% chance of showing symptoms. I made a point of clarifying to Mrs. Seedat that she does not have Huntington’s disease.[ CITATION Ove02 l 1033 ] Thirdly, I explained that Alzheimer’s causes dementia and is common among individuals older than 65.[ CITATION Wha20 l 1033 ] Alzheimer’s causes cognitive impairment and memory loss. The most common symptom is memory loss which usually starts small, for example forgetting someone’s name, but can worsen to the point of forgetting someone entirely. Alzheimer’s cannot be cured and slowly worsens with time. Individuals who have Alzheimer’s can usually still live up to 20-years with the proper care. I made a point of clarifying to Mrs. Seedat that she does not have Alzheimer’s disease.[ CITATION Wha20 l 1033 ] These 3 diseases are very different. Parkinson’s affects the nervous system; Huntington’s breaks down your nerve cells and Alzheimer’s causes dementia. 9. Consultant’s assessment of Client’s understanding of her situation The overview of these diseases was explained to Mrs. Seedat thoroughly. She showed understanding and grasped the reality of her diagnosis. She appeared less concerned and more confident after understanding the differences between Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s. Mrs. Seedat now understands Parkinson’s disease and shows a decrease in confusion and appears to have more clarity This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :46:50 GMT -05:00 This study resource was shared via CourseH on her diagnosis. 10. Interventions in the client’s understanding of her situation Mrs. Seedat can expect to experience a gradual start to the following symptoms: tremors, change in speech patterns, muscle stiffness, slowing of movement and loss of unconscious movement. In the short term, she will be capable of carrying on with her usual daily activities, but in the long term, may need to adapt her lifestyle according to the severity of her symptoms . She will need to adjust her lifestyle, follow a medication plan that may include: Carbidopa, levodopa, MAO-B inhibitors, COMT inhibitors, Anticholinergic and/or Amantadine as prescribed by a medical doctor.[ CITATION Par17 l 1033 ] Mrs. Seedat must follow all her doctor’s recommended lifestyle changes and use any specific medication that she is prescribed, she must use this medication exactly how the doctor instructs her to take the medication. It is essential that Mrs. Seedat informs her doctor whenever she notices any new symptoms or if her symptoms seem to be getting worse. If Mrs. Seedat follows these procedures, there is a possibility that she will delay the onset of the disease. Conclusion The consultation interview with Mrs. Seedat resulted in a clarification of her concerns and confusion regarding her understanding of Parkinson’s disease and how it differs from Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. The next step of the process would be for Mrs. Seedat to implement the necessary approach to treat her condition in the most effective manner possible to ensure a imperishable quality of life. This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :46:50 GMT -05:00 This study resource was shared via CourseH Bibliography UNISA. (2020). Tutorial letter 102. Parkinson's Disease. (2017). Retrieved 06 24, 2020, from National Institute on aging: