Palliative care and advance care planning in Parkinson disease

Abstract

Neuropalliative care and advance care planning (ACP) for Parkinson disease (PD) have not yet begun in Japan. ACP is an important part of care for people with PD. The development of ACP begins with a discussion among the patient/care partners, healthcare providers, caregivers, and other stakeholders. Medical and caregivers need to be well educated about the prognosis and other aspects of PD, and efforts should be made to ensure that those who receive ACP have an accurate understanding of the disease. By understanding care, palliative care, and ACP well enough to practice medicine, especially in the outpatient setting, PD treatment goes beyond the current drug–centered medicine and addresses a different aspect of the disease. This will bring a new perspective to medicine for the medical profession and provide a more comfortable life for PD patients, families, and care partners.