April 2024 | Parkinson Disease Awareness Month
April 1, 2024For the one million Americans living with Parkinson’s Disease and their loved ones- Parkinson’s awareness is more than a month. It’s about bringing attention to a life-changing disease that is on the rise and connecting people to critical resources. This month it is important to educate ourselves on the many symptoms that impact those with Parkinson’s Disease and how to address them. It’s also about helping people recognize the early signs that can lead to an earlier diagnosis and overall better quality of life.
The A-B-C of Parkinson Disease
- ANXIETY
- Balance
- Care Partner
- Diagnosis
- Early Signs
- Fitness
- Genetics
- Hospital Safety
- Incidence
- Job
- Knowledge
- Lewy Body Dementia
- Motor Fluctuations
- Neurologist
- Occupational Therapy
- Parkinsonism
- Quality of Life
- Research
- Stages
- Tremor
- Urinary Incontinence
- Vertigo
- Wellness
- X
- Young Onset Parkinson Disease
- Zen
Parkinson’s symptoms not related to movement are often more troublesome and disabling than movement symptoms. These symptoms can include anxiety, depression, vertigo, and more.
More than half of people with Parkinson’s will experience a fall in the next year. There are many tips and ways to prevent falls.
Like Parkinson’s there are several stages of the care partner journey. Explore resources and support from the Parkinson’s Foundation and your local and/or personal support network.
Finding out you have Parkinson’s can be a lengthy process. A diagnosis is made through a combination of in-office tests and diagnostic tools.
From small handwriting and loss of smell and trouble sleeping, know the 10 early signs of Parkinson’s here.
People with PD who exercise for 2.5 hours per week experience a slowed decline in quality of life.
About 15 percent of people with Parkinson’s disease have a family history of the condition.
People with Parkinson’s are at a higher risk of hospitalization and longer hospital stays. Prepare and advocate for yourself with the Parkinson’s Foundation’s Hospital Safety Guide.
Nearly 90,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s this year.
“How long will I be able to work with Parkinson’s?” This question is especially important to people with young-onset PD.
Find the information you need now- from tools that help you work alongside your care team to resources that empower you.
Robin Williams brought attention to the lifechanging prevalent disease known as the Lewy Body Dementia, a progressive brain disorder where cognitive decline is an early symptom.
Also known as “on-off” times, motor fluctuations are changes in the ability related to medications. “On” times are when you have good symptom control, while “off” times are when the medications wear off.
Neurologists and Movement Disorder Specialists diagnose and treat Parkinson’s.
Rehabilitation therapies- occupational, physical, and speech therapies- can slow disease progression, address symptoms and enhance mental health.
Parkinsonism is the collection of signs and movement symptoms associated with several conditions- including Parkinson’s Disease.
Finding the therapies and lifestyle changes that work for you and building your support network can help you live better.
Parkinson’s research can lead us to breakthroughs in treatment and care at any moment.
Parkinson’s symptoms and progression are unique to each person. Knowing the stages of Parkinson’s can help you cope with changes as they occur.
70%-90% or PD experience a tremor. While most common in the hands, tremors can also occur in the lower lip, jaw, leg, or even internally.
People with PD may experience bladder problems. The most common is a frequent and urgent need to urinate.
Dizziness (feeling faint, weak, or unsteady) and vertigo (the false sense that you or your surroundings are spinning) are common signs of Parkinson’s.
For people with Parkinson’s, the key components of wellness make an impact on quality of life- healthy diet, exercise, sleep, mind-body approaches, and social engagement.
X out any negativity or stigma to Parkinson’s Disease. You can do this by educating yourself and speaking out about the disease.
This occurs in people who are 50 years of age or younger, who often experience a different set of challenges.
Stress can make PD symptoms worse. Maintaining emotional health is essential to living well and can help manage symptoms.
Learn more at the Parkinson’s Foundation website.