April 11th is World Parkinson’s Day
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There is no better time to raise awareness of the medical condition that affects around 127, 000 people in the UK than World Parkinson's Day. 1 in 500 people will experience Parkinson’s disease in their lifetime and this article aims to explain the effects it can have on an individual and measures that can be taken to help them adjust.
What Exactly is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s is a neurological disease brought on because of the death of nerve cells in the brain. There are currently no answers as to why the disease develops or what causes it apart from the people who have it don’t have enough dopamine chemicals in the brain.
How Does Parkinson’s Disease Affect an Individual?
A person experiencing Parkinson’s disease will be affected both physically and mentally. Parkinson’s disease affects an individual physically in a number of ways including reduced movement and rigidity. Some of the main symptoms are tremors and slowness of movement but there are other symptoms involved too. Parkinson’s affects different people in different ways and many people have to endure speech problems, falls and dizziness as well as restless leg syndrome. Emotional factors to consider include the initial disbelief and denial when diagnosed with the disease and then symptoms of depression or anxiety may set in as they adjust to living with the condition.
Everyday Life with Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease can impact many areas of a person’s life from diet and exercise to travelling and getting around. A few lifestyle changes will need to be made not to mention, taking steps to make sure the person is safe on the road. Making a few small changes to their diet can ensure that they are getting the maximum amount of nutrients. Regular exercise can help to strengthen muscles and give access to those all important feel good endorphins. People suffering from Parkinson’s often report feeling depressed and exercise is also a good way to relieve stress and anxiety.
Home Adaptation and How a Personal Alarm Can Help
While there is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease, there are a number of things you can do to make living with this condition bearable. Installing a lifeline alarm system can give you peace of mind if the person in question lives alone in their home. The alarm can be worn on their person and when pressed it sends a signal to the IndeMe team who will assist them.
This means that elderly or unwell relatives have round the clock assistance should they require it and they don’t have to worry about waking up a relative should the emergency be during the night.
As previously mentioned, dizziness is a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease and you may be worried about a relative falling and injuring themselves when you can’t be there. A personal alarm can help to give back some independence, safe in the knowledge that help is there when they need it.
Everyone’s experience with Parkinson’s disease is different but raising awareness of the condition is one thing that everyone can do to help. World Parkinson’s Day marks 200 years since the condition was recognised, find more information and get involved at www.worldparkinsonsday.com.