Supporting aging parents
Member situation
When Evelyn, an 81-year-old member with Parkinson’s disease, started to experience changes in her mental state and memory recognition, her daughter reached out to PinnacleCare for support.
PinnacleCare Support
Her Health Advisor arranged for an MRI, which indicated she had fluid around her brain that was causing pressure, called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH). The pressure was affecting her cognitive mental state, walking ability and other bodily functions, symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease.
Given the results of the MRI, her team of doctors implemented a new treatment plan. Rita’s treatment plan involved a short hospital stay to drain the fluid around her brain, and adding a shunt to help regulate fluid and relieve pressure.
Member Impact
Rita’s Health Advisor accompanied her to her three-month follow-up appointment, where she showed significant improvement in her walking, memory, urinary function, and cognitive ability. Her progress has her medical team reconsidering her original Parkinson’s diagnosis and believe she may have been experiencing Parkinson’s-like symptoms caused by NPH.
“If it weren’t for PinnacleCare finding my mother the right specialists and surgeons, and pushing the system to do further evaluation, her condition may have progressed to a life-threatening situation.”
