Parkinson's Today Blog

Since the inception of the PD Gladiators Fitness Network in 2014, Livramento Delgado Boxing Foundation’s Boxing for Parkinson’s has been the Network’s flagship program, with class sizes in the Sandy Springs gym often exceeding 30-40 fighters, and the YMCA of Metro Atlanta has been the Network’s workhorse, expanding our reach by offering the PD Gladiators at the Y program in 17 metro area branches, from Cumming to Newnan. The YMCA has long sought to add noncontact boxing to its repertoire, but the cost of sending its wellness coaches out-of-town to train was prohibitive.

A new study resulting from a partnership of Parkinson’s organizations and industry partners reveals that the economic burden of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the U.S. is $51.9 billion – nearly double previous estimates.

Highlights from the Study:

It can be very difficult for a someone with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to find a home with accessibility features. Most real estate agents don’t have much experience dealing with accessible properties and there are few resources that can simplify the process for disabled home buyers. It takes considerable research and patience to find a property that meets your needs.

First described as a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD) more than 20 years ago, PD-related fatigue remains an under-recognized, clinically significant, disabling symptom that can diminish quality of life (Herlofson et al., 2018; Kluger et al., 2016).

Every three years, the World Parkinson Congress (WPC) provides an international forum where health professionals, care partners and people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) come together to discuss the latest scientific discoveries, medical practices and caregiver initiatives related to Parkinson’s.

Over the next three years the Parkinson’s Foundation will invest more than $50 million to Parkinson’s disease (PD) research and clinical care. At the heart of our research initiatives are scientists and researchers who have received Foundation awards to improve our understanding of Parkinson’s, which will ultimately lead us to a cure.

Many people with advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) suffer from gait (walking) dysfunction, freezing of gait and postural instability. These symptoms can cause falling, resulting in a multitude of injuries, a loss of personal freedom, caregiver stress and a reduction in the quality of life (Pirker & Katzenschlager, 2017; Samotus, Parrent, & Jog, 2018).

About 75 percent of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experience changes in speech and voice. These changes usually come on gradually and can vary from mild to severe. In the newest Parkinson’s Foundation educational book, Speech and Swallowing, we cover the symptoms, tools and exercises that can help you or a loved one better understand and manage speech, swallowing, voice, communication and cognitive problems in PD.

This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, we asked our Parkinson’s disease (PD) community to share their keys to Parkinson’s with us. We received hundreds of keys to living well with Parkinson’s!

Whether you are living with PD, are a caregiver or a healthcare professional, thank you for sharing your tips that make life a little easier. We will be posting your keys at Parkinson.org/Blog throughout the year but check out our top 10 keys submitted by YOU. 

Since its launch in the late 1960s, carbidopa/levodopa (brand name SINEMET®) is still the most effective Parkinson’s disease (PD) motor symptom treatment. However, it doesn’t address all facets of the disease. Medications to bolster its effectiveness and treat PD-related non-motor symptoms are newly available or just on the horizon.