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Friday, September 13, 2019

Study probes interplay of proteins in type 2 diabetes

 By Ziba Kashef  September 13, 2019


https://youtu.be/YSmwuKCpRMs 


A hallmark of age-related diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, or Alzheimer’s disease is the abnormal clumping of proteins in cells. In people with these conditions, these protein clumps can result in irregular deposits known as amyloids that disrupt normal cell behaviors. A Yale pathologist recently discovered that these interactions can be dramatically reduced in type 2 diabetes when small amounts of neighboring proteins are present.
To understand these interactions at the molecular level, assistant professor and lead author Zachary Levine and his collaborators ran a series of simulations that revealed how amyloids form. They found that a unique protein neighbor, normally encountered elsewhere in the cell, was able to stabilize the amyloids found in type 2 diabetes with very high precision. These interactions were then verified in further experiments, suggesting that the body might regulate amyloid diseases using a cocktail of stabilizing proteins.
This discovery highlights important interactions between amyloid proteins and other small molecules that scientists can mimic using synthetic compounds, said Levine. These observations are not believed to be unique to diabetes, he noted, suggesting that multiple amyloid diseases can be targeted, and potentially treated, in a similar way. The study is published and featured on the cover of the Journal of the American Chemical Society
https://news.yale.edu/2019/09/13/study-probes-interplay-proteins-type-2-diabetes

Longest Day’ Hikers Reunite in Mahopac

By BOB DUMAS     September 13, 2019



MAHOPAC, N.Y. - “We started out as strangers, but ended up as friends,” said Karen Ganis, looking around the poolside table in her backyard at the group of people who’d gathered at her Mahopac home on Saturday afternoon.
It was a reunion of sorts for Ganis. In June, she had embarked on a trip to Italy where she hiked through rugged backcountry terrain for 120 miles over an eight-day period—from Palermo to Agricento.
Ganis’ grueling hike was inspired by her father, who died from Alzheimer’s disease 20 years ago.
The trip is regarded as a spiritual journey for many of those who make it. Ganis made her trek a “Longest Day” fundraiser to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter.
The Longest Day, named in recognition of the long days spent by caregivers of people who have dementia, encourages people to do any activity they choose any time they choose to raise awareness and money to help end Alzheimer’s.
Those who had assembled at Ganis’ home were part of that group of hikers, each with their own story to tell. Also on hand were documentary filmmakers Vincent “Enzo” Simone (a Somers resident) and Luke Chadwick-Jones (from England), who were there every step of the way to chronicle the entire sojourn. The two were reuniting to complete the editing of the documentary, called “Pilgrimage to Enlightenment,” which is essentially a sequel to Enzo’s award-winning documentary, “10 Mountains, 10 Years.”
“Ultimately, the goal of the film is to have people see it and then go home and say, ‘If these people can do something for their cause, I can do something for something that means a lot to me,’” Enzo said of “Pilgrimage to Enlightenment.” “And that’s what our first film (‘10 Mountains, 10 Years’) did. When that film first came out, it sort of created a wake. It moved through the film festival circuit and the number of advocates in those areas expanded. I hope this film strikes the same type of lightning as that.”
Both Enzo’s mother and grandmother passed away from Alzheimer’s and his father-in-law has Parkinson’s disease.

I wanted to create a project that shines a light on the need to cure both of those diseases,” he said.
Besides Enzo and Chadwick-Jones, the reunion included Eileen Bencivengo, from Hamilton, N.J.; Julie Fitzgerald from Austin, Texas; and Tiberio Roda, from Como, Italy. Bencivengo is a longtime advocate and caregiver who appeared in Enzo’s first film, while Fitzgerald and Roda both suffer from Parkinson’s.
“The caregivers, for me, are the unsung heroes who are on the frontline in the battle,” Enzo said. “They are the ones who don’t personally have [the disease] but deal with all the attributes that come with it and have to deal with it, while maintaining their sanity, go to work and take care of their kids. They juggle a lot.”
Fitzgerald, who has Parkinson’s, came from Texas to the East Coast not only for the reunion at Ganis’ home, but to attend the Parkinson’s Policy Forum in Washington, D.C. She was diagnosed with PD when she was 54 but had been living with the symptoms for nearly 10 years.
“It took them that long to figure out what it was,” she said. “When I first found out I had it, I was really depressed.”
But Fitzgerald found the best way to combat that depression was to keep moving forward, staying active and doing the things she loves, while raising awareness of the disease. That led her to events such as the Longest Day hike in Italy. She spoke of the challenges someone suffering from PD faced on the trek.
“The walk was very stressful,” she said. “I watched all the videos and read all the paperwork, but I didn’t compute it was going to be up and down and up and down and it was going to be 110 to 115 degrees. You couldn’t keep your water cold.
“The hardest part for me was losing my shoes and having to walk in a new pair of shoes that didn’t fit properly,” she continued. “But that is sort of how I approach Parkinson’s— I wasn’t going to let it beat me. I was going to finish the walk one way or another, even if I had to let someone drag me.”
Roda, who is 64 and suffers from Parkinson’s, astonished everyone on the hike.
“Tiberio wouldn’t be the quickest one to get to the finish line but he does not stop,” Enzo said. “Unless someone stops him, he’s going all the way and he’s going to be in a good mood. He’s a stud.”
Roda said his biggest challenge on the hike was keeping his balance, especially when the trail got rough, and communicating, which was made difficult because of the disease.
“He fell a lot, but he always got up,” Enzo said. “That’s his mentality, he never stays down.”
All the hikers said that when they crossed the finish line, emotions ran high. They all said the feeling is almost impossible to describe. There was a lot of crying.
“I felt energized and really high on the accomplishment,” Roda said. “When people see me and know I have Parkinson’s and just did this epic [hike], it gives a lot of people who have PD hope that they can do great things, too. For people with PD, the thing is to never just reach a goal and say, ‘OK, I’ve accomplished it, I’m done,’ The thing is to give yourself another goal and move toward it.”
Fitzgerald said finishing the hike was a catharsis of sorts for many of the hikers.
“There were a lot of tears; all of us were crying,” she said. “It wasn’t just a little tear here and there. It was like this hour-long sob.
“It was life-changing for me because it gave me a lot of confidence,” she added. “It passes on the message to a lot of other people who are in the same boat: There are still a lot of things you can do.”
Ganis said finishing the hike was challenging, but not as difficult for her as it was for those in the group who have Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.
“When I decided to do it, it wasn’t so much about the physical part of it. I’m pretty physically fit so I wasn’t worried about that,” she said. “I was really thinking about my dad and doing it in his memory and the family that I’ve lost. But mostly what I took away from this is this incredible team of people who come from all walks of life and have incredible stories to share. It was humbling to see. It was humbling to see Julie, who had no shoes. And Tiberio, who struggled, but had a smile on his face and a laugh. It was incredible. I very rarely cry, but it was very emotional.”
For film director Chadwick- Jones, carrying the roughly 45 pounds of equipment on the hike was the least of his challenges along the way.
“Any time I felt fatigued I just looked around [at the others on the hike] and that was like rocket fuel to the heart,” he said. “It was just extraordinary what everyone was doing there. I cherished every moment of the experience and all the difficulties. But I think one of the biggest challenges for me would be when something would be happening in front of the camera and I would want to jump in and help, but at the same time I have a responsibility to show people what these people are doing because these people deserve a platform for that [hike] to be showcased. That was my role in this.”
Enzo said that when he began the film project, he never envisioned the scope it would eventually become.
“I don’t think we realized how much would go into it, filming in four different countries and six different states,” he said. “It’s taken us here and there and everywhere and all out of our pocket to get it done so other advocates could see it and be inspired to join our cause to put an end to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”
There is still some more work to be done before “Pilgrimage to Enlightenment” is complete.
“We have the editing process to go through and a few scenes on memories of the past at the beginning of the film that will be filmed using actors,” Chadwick-Jones said. “We have a giant amount of footage we’ve been fishing through for the last few days and it’s been heartwarming watching it all again. We are filtering through it and hopefully, in 10 days’ time we will be in a more solid state and then I will be back again to continue the process.”
Enzo said that when the film is finally finished, he will take it on the film festival tour, but not just any festival. He wants to screen it where it will do the most good.
“What we want to do is go where the advocates want it to be,” he said. “We will find festivals in those areas and that’s where it will be screened. It would be crazy to take it to some obscure place that doesn’t have a base of people who won’t take anything away from it.
“It wasn’t a film just to be a film,” he added. “It was a film to inspire people to take on their own projects and fight for themselves. The cavalry is not coming. You have to be willing to fight to champion yourself.”
Ganis called the film a “tool” that will better help her to get people to understand the role that caregivers play.
“This film was important for me because it is the 20th anniversary of my dad’s death,” she said. “I’ve been singing the same song for 20 years and after a while, I have found that people stopped listening to my story. Now, this is a tool I can use where it’s no longer just Karen saying, ‘Look at it this.’ Now, it’s ‘Look at all these people who are affected.’ [When it comes to Alzheimer’s], it’s not just the forgetting. It’s not just the shaking. There are so many little stigmas that people don’t even realize. And even to this day, 20 years later, people will say, “Well, he just forgot.’ They have no idea. There are so many other pieces. But now I have this tool and it is no longer just Karen saying it. I don’t want my children to have to see what I had to see.”
Asked if she would do the hike again, Ganis said, “absolutely,” but not just for the sake of hiking.
“I wouldn’t do it just to do it,” she said. “I don’t know if I would be motivated enough to hike 120 miles in oppressive heat and all the bugs.  But to do it again for this cause, absolutely.”
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/mahopac/sections/health-and-wellness/articles/longest-day-hikers-reunite-in-mahopac

The Chase's Paul Sinha on wetting himself in front of boyfriend

84-year-old man with Parkinson’s Disease still winning race car competitions



https://youtu.be/ZV9X1CFcqHU


GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – In Anderson, an 84-year-old man isn’t letting a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis hold him back.
Evans has won over 180 trophies throughout his racing career, even some in NASCAR’s hobby division.
“When I joined the air force, that’s when I started racing,” he says. “I raced NASCAR out in California for 5 years.”
Two years ago, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and, believe it or not, still races in Anderson for the Carolina Vintage Racers and wins.
“I don’t have any problems with my reactions or nothing,” he says.
One of the most common symptoms of the disease is shaking, something that Evans battles, but he says it goes away when he’s doing what he loves.
“When you go to do something it tends to go away, but when you’re resting the tremor is there,” says his Doctor Kathleen Woshkolup.
While there is no known cure, Dr. doctor Woschkolup says there are ways to manage symptom.
“Something that has been shown to decrease the progression of the disease is exercise. You don’t want to sit and rest. If you don’t use it, you lose it.”
She says patients like Evans are also able to reduce tremors by taking medication exactly as prescribed, down to the minute.
“What we can do is control what we call the motor symptoms very well. That’s done with multiple types of medication and everybody responds in different ways and needs different types,” she says.
Although she wouldn’t recommend getting behind the wheel of a racecar to most people with Parkinson’s Disease, she says Evans is proof that you don’t have to let a disease define who you are.
According to the National Institute of Health, Parkinson’s Disease is most common in people aged 60 and up.
Some early signs include mild tremors, speaking softly, slow and cramped handwriting and a shorter stride.
https://www.wspa.com/news/84-year-old-man-with-parkinsons-disease-still-winning-race-car-competitions/

Moving Day Buffalo, A Walk for Parkinson's, to raise funds & awareness for Parkinson's disease

Sep 12, 2019


Pictured is a scene from last year's event, courtesy of the Parkinson's Foundation, Western New York Chapter.

The Parkinson’s Foundation will host its annual Moving Day Buffalo, A Walk for Parkinson’s, at the SUNY Erie North Campus on Saturday, Sept. 21. This is one of more than 40 grassroots events taking place across the country this year. The event begins at 9 a.m., with the 3-mile walk starting at 11 a.m.
Funds raised through Moving Day will support cutting-edge research and community programs to improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s disease and their families.

One million Americans are living with Parkinson’s, with 60,000 people newly diagnosed each year. Moving Day Buffalo is a fun and inspiring fundraising event that unites the community in the fight against Parkinson’s. Moving Day events across the country have raised nearly $22 million to improve care and advance research toward a cure.

“Moving Day is fun, it is great exercise and it’s educational,” said Chris Jamele, executive director of the Parkinson’s Foundation, Western New York Chapter. “But mostly, the support of the community enables us to continue to make meaningful improvements in the lives of those with Parkinson’s.”
More than just a walk, Moving Day Buffalo is a celebration of movement featuring a kids’ area, a caregivers’ relaxation tent and a special movement pavilion with yoga, dance, tai chi, Pilates and other activities – all proven to help manage Parkinson’s symptoms.

Bob Russell of Youngstown has been battling Parkinson’s disease for 15 years. His wife, Lori, has been by his side every step of the way. The Russells have been active members of the local Parkinson’s community, giving their time and talents to help with support groups and numerous events. They plan to participate in this year’s walk along with a large team of family and friends.

Bob said, “It means the world to see my friends and neighbors coming out to bring attention to the Parkinson’s community. Living each day with Parkinson’s can be challenging, but better treatments, programs and research make all the difference. This event always gives me hope and reminds me I’m not alone.”
Funds raised through Moving Day support the Parkinson’s Foundation national mission by: delivering quality care to more than 145,000 people living with Parkinson’s; funding cutting-edge research to advance toward a cure; and providing free resources and local services for people living with Parkinson’s and their families.

To learn more about Moving Day or how to get involved, visit www.movingdaybuffalo.org.
The Parkinson’s Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. For more information, visit www.parkinson.org or call 800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).

Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s, and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the U.S. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is presently no cure for Parkinson’s.

https://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/current/2019/09/12/138413/moving-day-buffalo-a-walk-for-parkinsons-to-raise-funds-awareness-for-parkinsons-disease

CereHealth to utilize DaT SPECT in Parkinson's disease study

September 12, 2019

Brain imaging and data analytics company CereHealth Corporation has scored approval to conduct a Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company (SPARC) sponsored study that will utilize SPECT imaging to investigate the use of K0706 as a treatment for patients with early Parkinson’s disease. 


DaT SPECT will be used to assess the efficiency of K0706 for treating Parkinson's 


The Phase II study was secured through CereScan, a subsidiary of CereHealth Corp and a national network of functional brain imaging and analytics centers. The network’s Littleton, Colorado site will be the location of the study and utilize DaT SPECT to perform scans of participants’ brains. 

"Sponsors and CROs are utilizing more tools in their arsenal to determine the efficacy and safety of therapeutics under development," John Kelley, chairman and CEO of CereHealth Corp., told HCB News. "DaTscan is a type of functional brain imaging that shows visual evidence of a Parkinsonian syndrome in the brain, and is an accepted measurement procedure for pre- and post-evaluation." 

Close to one million individuals are expected to be living with Parkinson’s disease in the U.S. by 2020, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. The figure outweighs the combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig’s disease. Direct and indirect costs are estimated by this time to reach nearly $52 billion per year. 

DaT SPECT depicts the density of healthy dopamine neurons and will be used in the interventional trial to help researchers evaluate the efficacy and safety of ABL tyrosine kinase inhibition using K0706. 

The study will be randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled, with an estimated 504 diagnosed participants enrolled. Each will be diagnosed with "Clinically Probable PD" and display a documented onset of symptoms within three years of the screening. 

CereScan will act as the SPECT imaging center for Denver Neurological Research, the approved independent, private clinical research site where Phase I through Phase IV trials take place. 

"Similar to Denver Neurological Research, CereScan in an independent research and imaging site with expertise in functional brain imaging. DNR trusts that we will provide a concierge-like experience and conducive environment for patients struggling with complex neurological disorders," said Kelley. "Based on our prior imaging work, DNR trusts our strict adherence to the industry's safety standards and patient's well-being, and delivery of the highest quality imaging and analytics in the region." 

https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/48492

The Role of Sanctuary in Life with Parkinson’s

 SEPTEMBER 13, 2019    BY DR. C



The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” wrote Henry David Thoreau while sitting on the edge of Walden Pond.
We live in a post-9/11 world where income disparity threatens the pillars of well-being in democratic nations. Kings of the oligarchy are viewed as pallbearers to the American dream.* Lost hope, anxiety, and absence of discernment fuel the flames of desperation. But exposure to the world doesn’t mean we need to become like the world. Instead, we can find peace in sanctuary.
A writer and philosopher, Thoreau lived self-sufficiently in a cabin he built himself — what we now refer to as “off the grid.” He wanted to see if it was possible to break the chains of desperation by choosing to live a simple, unencumbered life. Thoreau paid homage to the existential mystics and philosophers before him who found the true self only through the death of the ego. Letting go of old ways is not easy, but the rebirth process can be enveloped and nurtured in a healthy sanctuary.
Sacred healing places are part of the human experience. These sanctuaries exist all over the world and are utilized by a variety of cultures. Thoreau might argue against my calling Walden Pond a sanctuary, but the reverence he held for the place and the support it offered during his metaphysical journal fits my concept of a sanctuary.
You don’t have to don a bearskin while running to the outhouse on a frosty morning to enjoy the benefits of a sanctuary. The beauty and sacredness of sanctuary can be created almost anywhere if we think of it as a special place of reverence, where we find rejuvenation. First, we must set aside time throughout the day to embrace our sanctuary. Then, we can gradually eliminate the worldly toxins that creep into our lives, replacing them with beauty that inspires an internal shift toward well-being.
Sanctuary has always had its roots in the natural world, like a garden or a park (the “N” in the CHRONDI Creed). But sanctuary is also found in the mind, soul, and heart. My sanctuary is a holistic healing space that helps me manage pain and the “off” periods that come with Parkinson’s, as well as mitigate the negative effects of a bad day.
Most importantly, sanctuary is a safe place in which to let go of life’s stresses. You don’t need to be an aesthetic — someone who gives up worldly pleasures – to embrace moments of well-being within a sanctuary. It is more about letting go of our attachment to things, as attachments constrain our freedom and limit our access to the full benefits of sanctuary.
The question I ask myself is, “Would you walk away from all that you own to better understand the voice crying in the wilderness?” Twice in my life, I have done exactly that. It was not an easy decision for my family, as there were moments of voluntary poverty, but it is not the poverty that brings the radiance of sanctuary into view. It is the ability to let go.
In my research on advanced empathy, I described a series of experiences that are common to the healer (practitioner) and the patient (participant) when sharing a facilitated well-being moment. They are:
  • Agreement: The practitioner and participant reach a mutual agreement regarding the purpose of the relationship.
  • Resistance: There is always resistance to sitting in a sacred space to experience well-being. This resistance can be explored if the sanctuary is seen as safe, and there is trust in the possibility of well-being as an outcome.
  • Letting go: Catharsis is facilitated.
  • Well-being: Moments of well-being are experienced.
  • Meaning: Both participants derive meaning from the experience.
All five of these experiences are enhanced when the participant and the practitioner are surrounded by and have embraced the sacredness of sanctuary. In the same way, our individual journey of wellness mapmaking is enhanced by sanctuary. It starts with an agreement on defining your personal sanctuary, your relationship to it, and how to use it.
The next few columns will explore how to use sanctuary. For now, share with our readers a description of your sanctuary.
*The baby boomer generation has been asked, “Do you think your children will have a better life than you?” Only a minority answer in the affirmative.
***
Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.
https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/2019/09/13/sanctuary-wellness-map-advanced-empathy/

A Checklist for Supporting Someone with Parkinson’s

By Frank Church · September 13, 2019



Lately, I have met people who know someone with Parkinson’s. However, the message they delivered to me was somewhat distressful, not hopeful. Consider these comments: “I have a friend with Parkinson’s, and they’re stuck at their home, just frozen.”; “I know someone with Parkinson’s, and they just stay at home now.”; and “I have a good friend with Parkinson’s, and they’ve had it a long time, but he just doesn’t have a good attitude anymore, about anything.”
These comments got me thinking about what I/we can do to help these people (person)-with-Parkinson’s (PwP). Each one was likely uniquely different from the other, and obviously, they were all living under severe living conditions. Nonetheless, would a checklist help all of us to live better with Parkinson’s and stay renewed? Always try to embrace these words: “I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.” Louise Hay

Coping with Parkinson’s

We must remember that Parkinson’s is both a chronic and a progressive disorder. With time we may progress, and our symptoms may mature and get worse. It also means we may develop new symptoms. It could mean that you have had Parkinson’s for 20 or 30 years, and possibly you are worn out from dealing with reality. Thus, emotionally and mentally, it can be challenging to live with Parkinson’s. However, take solace in these words from Glenn Schweitzer, “Behind every chronic illness is just a person trying to find their way in the world. We want to find love and be loved and be happy just like you. We want to be successful and do something that matters. We’re just dealing with unwanted limitations in our hero’s journey.”

Living with Parkinson’s

This list is a wake-up call for everyone with Parkinson’s, or if you know somebody that was just described above with Parkinson’s. It is time to re-engage them, boost their spirits, remind them that hope still exists. Remind yourself, or your friend with Parkinson’s, “Today renews your lease on the rest of your life, enjoy it (get up, get out, get going). Today acknowledge your Parkinson’s; give it a nudge, because you are ready for the battle and for life.”Frank C. Church

Sedentary compared to the active person-with-Parkinson’s

The checklist below is a simple reminder of what we can do to manage our Parkinson’s, to better our life outside the confines that Parkinson’s so desires of our bodies. Think about this way: a sedentary person is what Parkinson’s gains strength from by their path of least resistance. By contrast, the active person with Parkinson’s who brings hope, perseverance, and positivity provides the spark to hold Parkinson’s at bay. Focus on the words of Denis Waitley, “Don’t dwell on what went wrong. / Instead, focus on what to do next. / Spend your energies on moving forward / toward finding the answer.”

A checklist for (someone) living with Parkinson’s

Please read over the list if you have Parkinson’s; hopefully, you can use it to remind yourself of some common goals to counter your Parkinson’s. If you are a friend of someone living with Parkinson’s, here is a chance to help. If you can spare a few minutes every-now-and-then, please use the checklist to visit your sedentary friend with Parkinson’s. Your goal is to help them re-activate and re-engage in their life.

Get the person-with-Parkinson’s outside and walking

Please drop by and say hello and get a feel for their mood. Are they frozen-in-form or just slightly rigid? The goal is simple, to go outside and, for example, walk to the mailbox and back. Tell them how valuable exercise is proven for people-with-Parkinson’s, no matter what stage of their disorder or their age.

Ask when they last saw their neurologist

Please remind them of the relative value of seeing their neurologist every six months. Although the progression of Parkinson’s may be slight or subtle, their healthcare provider is usually the constancy-of-care. The movement disorder physician can advise therapy and guide the treatment plan for the person-with-Parkinson’s.

Are they taking their medication on a regular (daily) basis?

The ‘gold-standard’ drug Sinemet (carbidopa-levodopa) is best taken on an empty stomach (if possible), and 20-60 minutes before eating a protein-laden meal (again, if possible). Moreover, do they have a regular schedule during the rest of the day/evening to take their PD-specific drug?

Ask them about their diet

Proper nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals) are all needed fuel for the person-with-Parkinson’s. While there is not a Parkinson’s-specific-diet, the evidence is emerging favoring either the Mediterranean or a plant-based diet in an attempt to slow the progression of Parkinson’s.

Find out how well they are sleeping at night

It is vital to know if they are getting enough sleep every night. Why? Please think of the brain like a sponge filling up with fluid all-day long; during our time to sleep, we squeeze the excess liquid out and restore/refresh our mind. Insomniais shared from both treatments and as a clinical feature of Parkinson’s.

Ask about a Parkinson’s support group

It should be a positive interaction when joining a Parkinson’s support group. The idea of having a well-trained and best-intentioned social worker organizing such a support group should be both reassuring and very supportive to all.

Is there a care partner?

It is essential to find out if someone is helping manage aspects of their daily life. Alternatively, maybe the care partner is overburdened and in need of a break. Could you strategize with them to give the care partner time off, even for a few hours by you or someone else?

Find out if there is any socializing outside of the home

Emerging data and information are revealing that socializing and social networking is a part of the formula for the neuroprotection of people with Parkinson’s. If there are no social interactions, it would be most beneficial to make a plan to include getting the person-with-Parkinson’s out with others.

Ask about exercising

There is recent information that exercise is neuroprotective but additionally, it has a positive effect on quality-of-life. Strenuous exercise is better than just exercising, which is far superior to no exercising. The ultimate goal is to help the person-with-Parkinson’s to begin exercising. However, the person-with-Parkinson’s should first consult with their neurologist and follow-up with a physical therapist before beginning to exercise.

Please remind them they need to remain hopeful, persistent, and positive

“Speak quietly to yourself and promise there will be better days. Whisper gently to yourself and provide assurance that you really are extending your best effort. Console your bruised and tender spirit with reminders of many other successes. Offer comfort in practical and tangible ways – as if you were encouraging your dearest friend. Recognize that on certain days the greatest grace is that the day is over and you get to close your eyes. Tomorrow comes more brightly…” Mary Anne Radmacher

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The ParkinsonsDisease.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein.

https://parkinsonsdisease.net/living/support-checklist/

Comedian Billy Connolly explains to a bagpipe player that he has Parkinson's after the musician spotted his hands were shaking while filming his new show The Great American Trail

September 13, 2019       By Richard Spillett

  • Comedian is touring the U.S. for new ITV show about Scottish immigration
  • He met a band of pipers and drummers in New Jersey as part of the roadtrip
  • Piper thought he was pretending to play, but Connolly quickly made light of it 

Billy Connolly had to explain he had Parkinson's to a musician who thought he was pretending to play the bagpipes in his latest TV show.

In a poignant moment from the Scottish comedian's Great American Trailprogramme, the 76-year-old was speaking to a band he met in New Jersey.
One of the pipers spotted his hand moving and asked him if he played, adding: 'I see your fingers going.'

Connolly made light of the comment, replying: 'No, I've got Parkinson's, it's second best to playing the pipes.'

He said afterwards: 'It affected me a lot more deeply than I thought... I'm scared, shaking.' 

Billy Connolly was talking to a pipes and drums band in the U.S. as part of his new TV show


He had to explain he had Parkinson's, but made light of the question by adding: 'It's second best to playing the pipes'


The Great American Trail, which sees Connolly travelling across America to experience the route Scottish immigrants took when they arrived in the states in the 18th Century. 

As part of his trip around the U.S. for his latest show, he was speaking to a Scottish-style pipes and drums band in the north east of the country. 
It is his comeback to TV after he retired from stand-up last year.

Connolly was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease six years ago and has spoken of the impact the disease is having on his life. When he retired from stand-up, he said that he was struggling to cope on stage with live shows because of his condition.

He said he could no longer stride around the stage, like he used to, and Parkinson's had made him become 'rooted to the spot and afraid to move'.


Connolly is retracing the route taken by 18th Century Scottish immigrants to the US for TV


Connolly spoke candidly about his condition in the BBC documentary Made In Scotland earlier this year.

He said: 'There is no denying it, I am 75 [at the time of filming], I have got Parkinson's and I am at the wrong end of the telescope of life, I am at the point where the yesteryears mean more than the yesterdays.

'Because it is back there in my childhood and youth when I go to all those things that made me that live keenest in my memory now. My life, it's slipping away and I can feel it and I should.'

He added: 'I'm 75, I'm near the end, I'm a damn sight nearer the end than I am the beginning but it doesn't frighten me, it's an adventure and it is quite interesting to see myself slipping away.'  

Billy Connolly's Great American Trail continues on ITV Thursday at 9pm. 

WHAT IS PARKINSON'S? THE INCURABLE DISEASE THAT STRUCK BOXER MUHAMMAD ALI


Parkinson’s disease affects one in 500 people, and around 127,000 people in the UK live with the condition.

Figures also suggest one million Americans also suffer.
It causes muscle stiffness, slowness of movement, tremors, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, an impaired quality of life and can lead to severe disability.
It is a progressive neurological condition that destroys cells in the part of the brain that controls movement.

Sufferers are known to have diminished supplies of dopamine because nerve cells that make it have died.

There is currently no cure and no way of stopping the progression of the disease, but hundreds of scientific trials are underway to try and change that.  

The disease claimed the life of boxing legend Muhammad Ali in 2016.

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