Sunday 11th April is World Parkinson’s Day.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation (2021), Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects predominately dopamine-producing neurons in a specific area of the brain.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms generally develop slowly over the years. The progression of symptoms is often different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease. Some symptoms may include:
- Impulse control disorder
- Hallucinations
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Sleep difficulties
- Tremor
- Limb rigidity
- Gait and balance problems
The cause of Parkinson’s Disease remains unknown (Parkinson’s Foundation, 2021) and although there is no cure, treatment options vary and include medications and surgery. While Parkinson’s itself is not fatal, disease complications can be serious.
How can you support someone with Parkinson’s Disease?
- Understand the progression of the disease
- Learn everything you can about the disease
- Volunteer to help
- Get active with your friend or family member with PD
- Help them feel ‘normal’
- Get out of the house and grab a coffee(PD can feel lonely)
- Listen
- Look for worsening symptoms
- Be patient
(Healthline.com.au, 2021).