| April is Parkinson’s Awareness month. It’s a time to bring greater attention, focus and action to this debilitating disease. The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) estimates that there are nearly one million people in the United States living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and 4.1 million people with PD worldwide.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder that is chronic and progressive, meaning that symptoms continue to worsen over time. The cause is unknown, and although there is presently no cure, there are treatment options such as medication and surgery to help manage its symptoms. Parkinson’s disease occurs when a group of brain cells that produce a chemical called dopamine begin to malfunction and die. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, that sends information to the parts of the brain that control movement and coordination. When a person has Parkinson’s disease, their dopamine-producing cells begin to die and the amount of dopamine produced in the brain decreases. Messages from the brain telling the body how and when to move are therefore delivered more slowly, leaving a person incapable of initiating and controlling movement in a normal way.
Why Raise Awareness?
Parkinson’s Awareness Month presents an important opportunity to become better informed and to educate your community about this neurological disorder. As our society continues to age, the number of individuals with Parkinson’s Disease is expected to grow. In fact, the number of people who have died from Parkinson’s disease has quadrupled in the past 20 years.
Supporting Parkinson’s patients and their families is as crucial as understanding the causes of Parkinson’s disease. The hope is to find new and better treatments and strategies to manage the condition, as well as new ways to help those suffering from the disease to better cope in their day-to-day lives.
How Can You Help to Raise Awareness about Parkinson’s?
Educate yourself by learning the latest facts about symptoms, treatments and more by visiting:
Educate Your Employees, Business Network and Colleagues
- Schedule speaking engagements and presentations.
- Pair with Parkinson’s experts, such as physicians, nurses and social workers for presentations.
- Host a community forum or workshop to explore issues related to the disease. Forums can also provide information on patient and family support services, such as counseling, financial assistance, advisory and information services.
- Organize a panel of long-time sufferers to discuss issues and answer questions of those newly diagnosed and their families. Invite local support group leaders to share coping strategies.
- Encourage local businesses to participate by displaying educational information and posters.
- Send a Parkinson’s Awareness themed newsletter to your mailing list.
Support the Cure
- Make a donation in the name of your business or organization.
- Research Parkinson’s Associations in your local community and sponsor or participate in their planned activities.
- Raise funds by running marathons, organizing bake sales, participating in bike rides and more.
By working together to raise awareness for Parkinson’s Disease and educating ourselves and our community, we can make positive steps in the fight against this disease. To learn more, visit The American Parkinson Disease Association at www.apdaparkinson.org.
To learn how Home Helpers can help make life easier for your clients with Parkinson’s Disease and their loved ones who care for them, including complete in-home care with a full range of flexible services, call (877) 464-9090 or contact us online.
About Home Helpers®
Home Helpers is the premier provider of in-home, non-medical and personal care and companionship for seniors, people coping with a lifelong illness or disability, and those recuperating from a recent surgery or hospitalization. Home Helpers is an agency, not a registry. We employ caregivers who are thoroughly screened using our exclusive Care Check System™. By utilizing our Client & Caregiver Matching System™, we ensure the best caregiver selection. We are committed to the delivery of a positive home care experience for your family.
We don’t just take care of our clients, we plan for them, using our comprehensive and customized Home Helpers Total Care Plan™. Home Helpers is proactive, not reactive, and offers a flexible, affordable continuum of care that changes as our clients’ needs change. We tailor our care plans to our clients’ unique needs and tap our extensive network of referral resources relevant to every aspect of care.
From occasional visits to respite to hospice care, the team at Home Helpers is with you every step of the way, providing guidance, reassurance and compassionate care always.
To learn how we can put together a Total Care Plan™, including helping with a continuum of care plan for you or your loved one, call us at (877) 464-9090 or learn more online. |
