Coordinated multidisciplinary care for Huntington's disease. An outpatient department.
Huntington's disease is characterised by a complex set of motor, neuropsychologic and psychiatric symptoms which start slowly and progress over many years to a state of complete dependency. The symptomatic treatment during the ambulatory years is divers. In the northern part of the Netherlands coordinated multidisciplinary care is offered to patients diagnosed with Huntington's disease. A team of a neurologist, psychologist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, social worker and nursing home doctor monitors the patient and companion on a half-year basis and provide them with a plan of care. A case manager coordinates the plan of care in the dwelling place of the patient. In this article this type of care is outlined and illustrated with case histories.
Veenhuizen
Ruth B
RB
Noorderbreedte persoonlijke zorg en wooncomfort, De Waring 6, 9001HZ Grou, The Netherlands. r.veenhuizen@chello.nl
Tibben
Aad
A
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009426:Netherlands; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce