This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, we wanted to take some time to raise awareness of the disease and show our appreciation to hospice and palliative care teams who do so much for patients living with Parkinson’s disease and their families.

Symptoms of Parkinsons

Symptoms of Parkinson’s usually develop slowly over the years. Contact your doctor if you or a loved one start to experience more than one of the following symptoms:

  • Small handwriting
  • Low or soft voice
  • Loss of smell
  • Tremors
  • Constipation
  • Difficulty walking
  • Difficulty moving
  • Dizziness
  • Fainting
  • Stooping or hunching over

Living with Parkinsons

Living with Parkinson’s — and caring for a loved one with the disease — is no doubt challenging. But there are some ways to make it a bit easier:

  • Diet and nutrition improvements
  • Focusing on emotional health
  • Getting outside each day
  • Maintaining good oral health
  • Good sleep hygiene
  • Seeking support from others
  • Medication
  • Massage therapy
  • Acupuncture 

Hospice Can Help

Hospice and palliative care are focused on comfort and dignity at the end of life. These services provide great benefit to people in the final stages of Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases, as well as their families. Your hospice team will ensure you have all the medical care needed to alleviate symptoms and pain caused by the disease, as well as provide counseling and spiritual and emotional support to you and your family.