Together, we made life better for people in our Parkinson’s community in 2019. Your support allowed us to launch new, exciting initiatives that are changing lives, while funding critical research and local classes tailored to people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). With your support, we are reaching more people living with this disease in the U.S. and are closing the gap to help the 60,000 Americans diagnosed every year.

Thanks to YOU, we were able to accomplish the following in 2019:

1. Launched First-of-its-Kind Free Genetic Testing Initiative
   We launched PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson’s Disease, a national initiative that offers free genetic testing for clinically relevant PD-related genes and free genetic counseling. We are excited to reach our goal of testing and providing genetic counseling for up to 15,000 people with PD.
    
2. Funded $12.2 Million to Further Parkinson’s Research
   This was an impactful year for Parkinson’s research. We established four new Research Centers that will receive a total of $8 million to launch PD-specific research studies. We also  simultaneously funded $4.2 million across 46 research grants that support the work of promising scientists in the PD field, cutting-edge clinical trials and fellowships.
    
3. Designed Program for People Newly Diagnosed with Parkinson’s
   With a focus to reach the 60,000 people who are newly diagnosed with PD each year in the U.S., Newly Diagnosed: Building a Better Life with Parkinson's Disease aims to close the gap between diagnosis and knowing where and how to find the right information and resources to live better with PD. Order or download the free Newly Diagnosed kit. 

4. Shared Research Findings at the 5th World Parkinson Congress
   In June, we enthusiastically joined our international community at the 5th World Parkinson Congress (WPC) in Kyoto, Japan, where our PD experts shared 10 research posters.
    
5. Expanded our Centers of Excellence Care Network
   Every year, we hope to bring expert care to more people with PD. In 2019, we expanded our Center of Excellence global network to include three new centers. Centers of Excellence are a medical center with a specialized team who provide expert Parkinson’s care. Find a Center of Excellence in your area.
    
6. Partnered with Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to Report New Economic Burden and Host Policy Forum
   In 2019, we collaborated with the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to publish that the economic burden of Parkinson’s is nearly $52 billion every year. Together, we also hosted the 2019 Parkinson’s Policy Forum, bringing more than 150 advocates from across the U.S., along with leading experts in PD research to advocate for our community.
    

7. 

   Granted $1.5 Million to Local Communities for Parkinson’s Programs
   We proudly funded $1.5 million throughout 118 community-based grants that provide education and outreach programs, along with local research initiatives, that address unmet needs in the PD community.

8. Issued First Patient-Centered Research Agenda for Women with PD
   Recognizing long-standing gender disparities in Parkinson’s research and care, our Women and Parkinson’s Initiative created the first patient-centered action agenda to maximize quality of life for women with Parkinson’s.
    
9. Appointed Aware in Care Ambassadors
   In 2019, we appointed our first-ever  Aware in Care Ambassadors, a volunteer group to help distribute Aware in Care kits that serve to bolster best practices in treating patients with Parkinson’s disease to both patients and healthcare providers.
    
10. Designed New Online Nurse Course
    With the prevalence of PD expected to increase in the coming years, we wanted to provide more professional education opportunities for nurses. In 2019, we launched a new online course for nurses who deliver care throughout all stages of Parkinson’s. 

As much as we accomplished in 2019, we are committed to furthering our reach and impact in 2020 to help even more people live better with Parkinson’s. Your continued support is the only way we can make that happen. Thank you.

November is Caregivers Month

All November we’ll be raising awareness about caregiver burnout. Learn more about how to combat caregiver burnout. Read more.

Navigating Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a life-long process for care partners, but you don’t have to do it alone. We’re here for you with these top 10 caregiver resources:

1. Helpline

Our Helpline specialists answer all Parkinson’s and care partner questions and refer health care professionals. Call 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) or email Helpline@Parkinson.org.

2. Care Partner Guide

This comprehensive guidebook was written for care partners at every stage of PD. In addition to practical tips, you'll find encouraging insights from other care partners, as well as activities, worksheets and resources.

3. Podcast

As a caregiver, it is important to stay up-to-date on Parkinson’s. Listen to our podcast, Substantial Matters: Life and Science of Parkinson’s, as we cover PD treatments, research and techniques to help you and your loved one live better every day. Subscribe or listen online.

4. Parkinson.org/Caregivers

From beginning your care partner journey to caring for someone with advanced PD, our articles are devoted to helping you navigate all stages of PD. 

5. Videos for Care Partners

Our YouTube playlist features tips, interviews with care partners, advice for those caring for a loved one with advanced Parkinson's and more. 

6. Care Partner Courses

This set of one-of-a-kind self-paced online courses offers videos, journal prompts and opportunities to connect with care partners about the topics that are most important to you. Enroll now in our Care Partner Program: Building a Care Partnership.

7. Expert Briefings

Find out what leading PD doctors and other experts have to say through our Expert Briefings webinar series.

8. Advanced Parkinson's Information 

As Parkinson's advances, the care partner role evolves. Read our Advanced Parkinson's page, along with the challenges unique to this stage, including Thinking Changes & Dementia and Activities of Daily Living.  

9. PD Library

Parkinson’s knowledge is power! Visit our PD Library for our vast collection of free publications and fact sheets.

10. Virtual and In-Person Events

Explore upcoming virtual events —from on-demand exercise Fitness Friday events to expert-led PD deep dives. Ready to build your PD community? Find an in-person event near you.

For more information about caregiving visit Parkinson.org/Caregiving.

Whether you care for someone who only requires help with basic tasks or for someone who requires daily physical care, utilizing the proper tools can help care partners provide the best support for their loved one with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Think of caregiving as a home: when you move into a new house, you furnish it, make it a place you feel comfortable in and invite your friends and family over to celebrate. Moving into this new role as a care partner requires a similar level of rearranging. It will take time to get used to the new normal, but you will feel that comfort again. The first step is to learn what coping skills work for you.

Research shows that care partners face risks to their own emotional and physical health, which is why it is vital to prioritize coping tools to address the stress associated with caregiving. Examples of declined physical health in care partners include higher incidences of heart disease, high blood pressure, decreased immunity to sickness, anxiety and sleep deprivation.

By exploring ways that help you identify and relieve stressful tasks, you have the capability to create a better space for you and your loved one with Parkinson’s. As with building a safe, happy, and healthy home, it can help to establish the below coping tools early on:

“Seek out others who are walking this same journey; you are not alone and need to be able to share honestly and openly with someone who can really understand what you are experiencing.”

– Virginia DeWitt, care partner, Team Spark Support Group Leader, Grand Rapids, MI

“Keep active and be happy with what you are able to do rather than looking at what you can’t do.”

– Myra Hirschhorn, former care partner, Cherry Hill Parkinson’s Support Group Leader, Willingboro, NJ

• Identify stress triggers. A first step in coping with stress is identifying and acknowledging the causes. Identify the moments that cause tension as a care partner and determine how you can make that task or time of day easier.
• Connect with other caregivers. No one will understand your experience as well as other care partners. Join a support group for care partners to learn other methods of caring and how to better cope with the role of caregiving.
  TIP: Register for our 2020 Care Partner Summit to hear experts discuss caregiving, coping mechanisms and connect with other caregivers.
• Acknowledge your right to feel what you feel. It is okay if you feel grief, anger, anxiety, guilt or depression. Seek out someone you can talk to, whether a professional or a friend.
• Seek out activities that bring you pleasure. Do the things you love. Read a book, see a movie or make time to enjoy your coffee each morning. No matter how big or small, it’s important to find joy in your daily life.
• Build in regular breaks. Treat scheduled breaks as appointments. You cannot be a good caregiver to someone else if you do not take care of yourself.
• Delegate. No one expects you to do it all. Determine what your limits are and ask others to help where you need it. Most people are more than willing to help, especially when given specific tasks.
• Seek out joy in your relationship with the person with Parkinson’s. Your hands-on duties, such as bathing and dressing your loved one, might feel like work, but these tasks bring you together. Add some fun to your hands-on care: sing songs, tell jokes, share goals and dreams.
• Develop a habit of participating in activities together outside of care tasks. Shared time as husband-wife, mother-daughter, siblings or other relationship — rather than as caregiver and care recipient — allows you to enjoy each other and build happy memories.

Learn more about Planning for the Unpredictable Path of Parkinson’s Caregiving at the 2020 Care Partner Summit. Register today at Parkinson.org/Summit.

With cold temperatures and short days, winter may also coincide with feelings of isolation or loneliness. Know that you are not alone. The winter blues are common and can be triggered by the smallest occurrences. Whether you’re feeling down or simply need an escape, tune into our Substantial Matters: Life and Science of Parkinson’s podcast episodes and tackle the seasonal lows with some of our most popular podcast episodes featuring Parkinson’s disease (PD) experts.

1. Mental Health in a Medical Setting

Mental health issues are often a part of a chronic disease such as Parkinson’s, but no one comes into a disease as a blank slate. Therefore, distress in the setting of a disease should not only be ascribed to having the disease but should also take the whole person into account.

Listen Now

2. Recognizing Non-motor Symptoms in PD

In addition to tremor or stiffness, people with PD are often troubled by common non-motor symptoms such as fatigue, pain, disturbed mood or cognition. Visits to PD specialized therapists, exercise, dance and other movement regimes can help alleviate these problems.

Listen Now

3. A Western Perspective on PD: Understanding Complementary Medicine

While the traditional medicine from a Western perspective typically include drugs, rehabilitation therapies or surgical operations, many Eastern cultures take a holistic approach to treatment through the use of herbs, acupuncture, dietary therapy and other techniques aimed at restoring a healthy balance.

Listen Now

4. Autonomic Problems

A comprehensive, team approach can help people with PD improve quality of life issues that may not come up during routine doctor visits due to the associated stigma or potential feelings of embarrassment. These issues can include sexual/intimacy matters, blood pressure drops or urinary symptoms and often have easy solutions when addressed.

Listen Now

5. Talking to Children About Parkinson’s

Receiving a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, especially at an early age, can be seen as disrupting an entire life plan. But it doesn’t have to. This episode offers advice about how to talk to children about the disease, where to turn for resources, and how having a relative with a chronic disease can have positive aspects for a child.

Listen Now

6. The Benefits of Exercise for People with Parkinson’s

Regular exercise is essential for people with Parkinson’s and has been shown to improve many PD symptoms including balance, mobility, issues with depression and constipation. Additionally, research shows that exercise may have a protective effect on the brain, slowing the degeneration of brain cells.

Listen Now

7. More Than Movement: Addressing Cognitive and Behavioral Challenges in Caring for PD

Addressing cognitive, behavioral, emotional and other neuropsychiatric issues may be challenging for physicians and for those they treat. This episode highlights an integrated cognitive behavioral movement disorder program addressing these challenges.

Listen Now

New to podcasts? Listen online or read our How to Subscribe article.

PD Health @ Home features new weekly Parkinson’s disease (PD) wellness and education virtual events designed for the PD community. We have new, exciting upcoming events scheduled that help promote mindfulness, highlight COVID-19 issues, exercise classes and more. Remember to join us and catch up on previous virtual events now.

These are the top 10 most popular PD Health @ Home episodes YOU found to be the most helpful:

1. Emotional Stress, Mindfulness Meditation and Mindful Movement

In this Mindfulness Monday, we introduce you to mindfulness and discuss the role emotional stress plays on the brain. Event recorded April 6.

Watch Now
See Upcoming Mindfulness Monday Events

2. Stress and Aging

In this Mindfulness Monday, we discuss Parkinson’s and aging, stress management and what successful aging looks like. Event recorded April 13.

Watch Now
See Upcoming Mindfulness Monday Events

3. Expert Briefing: PD and Medication: What’s New?

In this Expert Briefings Tuesday event, Fernando Pagan, MD, highlights the latest PD medications and what is next in Parkinson’s treatments. Event recorded April 14.

Watch Now
See Upcoming Expert Briefing Tuesday Events

4. Mind, Mood & Motion

In this Expert Briefing Tuesday, we highlighted the changes that can occur in thinking and memory for people with Parkinson’s and their care partners and the steps you can take to reduce the effects these symptoms might have. Event recorded April 7.

Watch Now
See Upcoming Expert Briefing Tuesday Events

5. Ask the Expert: How Can I Benefit from Telemedicine?

In this Wellness Wednesday, Roy Alcalay, MD, explains what to expect from a telehealth appointment, the benefits of telemedicine and provides helpful tips for your next appointment. 

Watch Now
See Upcoming Wellness Wednesday Events

6. Ask the Expert: Parkinson’s & Hospitalization

In this Wellness Wednesday, Dr. Okun reviews hospital safety for people with Parkinson’s who may be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and answers questions from our Facebook community. Event recorded April 8.

Watch Now
See Upcoming Expert Briefings Tuesday Events

7. Staying Sane through Quarantine

In this Take Time Thursday, we discuss quarantine and social distancing challenges and ways to cope with this new normal. Event recorded April 20.

Watch Now
See Upcoming Take Time Thursday Events

8. Overcome Exercise Apathy with Live Fitness Demos

In this Take Time Thursday, we help you break some exercise apathy habits while at home and show you some exercises that get you out of your chair. Event recorded April 23.

Watch Now
See Upcoming Take Time Thursday Events

9. Fitness Friday: Posture

In this Fitness Friday, Physical Therapist Joellyn Fox leads you through our PD-tailored at-home fitness class. This session will help you improve your posture through seated stretching and core exercises. Event released April 10.

Watch Now
See Upcoming Fitness Fridays Events

10. Fitness Friday: Arms

In this Fitness Friday, Joellyn Fox will guide you through exercises that can help improve arm strength, highlighting correct form, chair and standing exercises. Event released April 24.

Watch Now
See Upcoming Mindfulness Monday Events

VIEW ALL UPCOMING PD HEALTH @ HOME PROGRAMS HERE

Check out our weekly PD Health @ Home events now. Join us and catch up on previous virtual events.

Summer is here! Even though coronavirus and social distancing may still play a part in our day-to-day lives, we want to help you feel “on” all summer long. Bring the sunshine into your home with new ways to stay mentally active.

This summer, exercise your brain with these exercises that will help you remember the good times, make new memories and plan for what’s next.

Remember the Good Times

Having difficulty with memory is a common cognitive symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD). When it comes to long-term memory, memories from the distant past are often more preserved than recent memories.

Exercise you mind and stimulate your long-term memory with these activities:

1. Make a scrapbook ― digital or print.

2. Watch old movies or catch up with PD educational videos on our YouTube channel ― watch videos that share tips from people in the PD community to caregiving to videos in Spanish.

3. Stay social. Contact an old friend or make new ones by calling our Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636) to find your nearest support group or wellness class.

4. Listen to your favorite summer songs.

Make New Memories

As Parkinson’s progresses, some may experience trouble with short-term memory and retaining new information. Exercise is a the most important activity you can do to keep your body and brain healthy.

Challenge this part of your brain with these activities:

5. Read books. Visit our PD library and start with Cognition: A Mind Guide to Parkinson’s. Reading is a complex task that requires multiple parts of the brain to work together.

6. Listen to our podcast. New to podcasts? Challenge yourself to learn how to subscribe and listen to the episodes that interest you the most.

7. Host a virtual game or karaoke night.

8. Exercise. Commit to a new at-home workout routine with virtual Fitness Friday exercise classes. Intense exercise can improve efficiency of your brain cells using dopamine and lessen PD symptoms.

9. Enjoy the outdoors. Remember to be safe, use your face mask and practice social distancing.

10. Bring nature indoors. Order a birdhouse kit online and hang it near a window, learn how to compost or start a garden!

Plan for the Future

The global pandemic most likely interrupted some of your plans for 2020. Take this at-home time to exercise optimism and plan for the new memories you would like to create.

Think big with these activities:

11. Make a travel bucket list. Engage your brain’s executive function and begin planning the options that seem most appealing, like a 2021 family trip or weekend getaway.

12. Try an educational webinar. Register for all the upcoming free Expert Briefings webinars that interest you. Stimulate some neurons by learning something new.

13. Write your PD story. Creativity provides excellent mental stimulation. Vary your activity to keep the mind strong and healthy. Submit your My PD Story.

14. Plan to attend a Parkinson’s Foundation event. Whether in-person or online, attending social events help you retain cognitive sharpness.

15. Take steps to #Plan4PD. It is never too late or early to plan for Parkinson’s. Not sure where to start? Order our hospital safety kit and check out different ways you can plan for PD from home. 

Join us on social media to #SummerOn with the Parkinson’s Foundation for summer activities, tips, resources and more.

“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act,” according to the Centers of Disease Control. When it comes to living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) ― in any stage ― or caring for a loved one with Parkinson’s, it can become difficult to manage and maintain your optimal mental health.

“Your Questions: Mental Health” was a popular session held during the Parkinson’s Foundation 2020 Care Partner Summit | Cumbre Para Cuidadores, where care partners from all over the world asked their mental health questions, answered below.

Panelists included: Linda Pituch, Helpline Senior PD Information Specialist; Travis Turner, PhD, Assistant professor and Director of the Neuropsychology Division, Medical University of South Carolina; Caryn Balaban, MPH, Care Partner, former Parkinson’s Foundation People with Parkinson’s Council member.

Watch the full recording of this session and all 2020 Care Partner Summit | Cumbre Para Cuidadores sessions now

Learn More

Learn more about Parkinson’s and mental health in the following Parkinson’s Foundation resources or by calling our free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636):

• Watch: Mental Health and PD
• Listen: More Than a Movement Disorder: Addressing Mood &Coping and Mental Health in a Medical Setting
• Read: Mood: A Mind Guide to Parkinson's Disease

With so many people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) staying safe indoors, the Parkinson’s Foundation has launched resources articles and virtual programs designed to support the PD community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our new virtual programs and content focuses on priority topics like exercising at home, COVID-19 preparedness, stress management, telemedicine and more. Remember, our Helpline 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636) is always here to help, especially now.

“As someone living with Parkinson’s disease, I know the importance of communications and providing online resources while the more at-risk PD community is socially distancing at home,” said Denise Coley, a member of the Parkinson’s Foundation People with Parkinson’s Council.

Get engaged and stay up to date with these free virtual events:

1. Parkinson.org/COVID19

With the rise of COVID-19, the Parkinson’s Foundation has continuously published new articles where we address your top questions about Parkinson’s and COVID-19.

LEARN MORE

2. PD Health @ Home

Our newest program PD Health @ Home was designed to keep the PD community engaged and moving, our new weekly online events address can help you ease the challenges of isolation. Join us for:

• Mindfulness Mondays: learn relaxation techniques and boost your brainpower
• Wellness Wednesdays: an expert speaker addresses a critical PD topic every week
• Fitness Friday: PD-tailored online fitness program

Learn More

3. Virtual Moving Day

This fall, Moving Day is going virtual! Every event will host a local, virtual version you can follow and MOVE with at home. All funds raised through Moving Day help us fund cutting-edge research and provide expert care for the one million Americans living with Parkinson’s.

Join us at a fall Moving Day: Fargo Moorhead, Rochester, Buffalo, New Jersey, Boston, Columbus, Venice, DFW, Atlanta, Nashville, Northwest Arkansas, Chicago, NC Triangle, Jacksonville, Palm Beach, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Miami.

SIGN UP NOW

4. PD Hospitalization and COVID-19 Fact Sheet

This fact sheet is full of crucial information for healthcare professionals in the case you are hospitalized during COVID-19.

DOWNLOAD NOW

5. Expert Briefing Webinars

Announcing our new season of Expert Briefing webinars! Every live broadcast will feature a PD expert and an opportunity to ask questions. Sign up for an upcoming webinar now.

6. Podcast

Our podcast has not skipped a single episode in 2020. Join us as we interview a new PD expert every other week. Catch up with recent episodes: Managing Anxiety with PD and Personalized Medicine: The Voice of the Patient.

LISTEN NOW

7. Helpline 1-800-4PD-INFO

Contact our Helpline specialists for your PD questions ― from COVID-19, hospitalization and more. Available in English and Spanish, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.

CALL 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636) OR EMAIL HELPLINE@PARKINSON.ORG

8. Care Partner Summit Videos

Watch our 2020 Care Partner Summit at your convenience. Learn care partner tips from our panels covering key care partner topics including cognitive changes, mental health, self-care, practical planning and more. 

WATCH NOW

From a person newly diagnosed who feels a heavy dread from their uncertain future to someone distraught about their changing abilities, the Parkinson’s Foundation Helpline occasionally receives calls from people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experiencing a level of despair that has become unbearable.

People with Parkinson’s are at an increased risk of suicide. When asked, up to 30% of people with PD have thought about it. Why suicide?

Welcome the Discomfort

Suicide is never the only option. It is also a subject that goes unacknowledged since many find it uncomfortable. It is natural to experience fear when a loved one brings up the topic, however that feeling of discomfort can lead to silence, leaving the person with the suicidal thoughts to feel alone — when they need support the most.

What if allowing an uncomfortable and uncertain conversation to unfold meant your loved one with PD felt less alone? If you are the person thinking of suicide, what if you felt like you could have an open and honest conversation with your loved one about your thoughts?

In ideal world, every person with Parkinson’s who is thinking about suicide and every family member or friend would feel comfortable enough to candidly address their thoughts and fears. However, most people feel unprepared or don’t know how to talk about it.

You do not have to do this alone. If you or a loved one is thinking of suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255 or virtual chat. If you think they may harm themselves immediately, please call 911.

Connecting to appropriate support to help you or a loved one stay safe from suicide is essential. If present, depression or other mental health concerns should be treated by your care team and could involve psychotherapy, medications or both.

Envision a Way Through

Establishing safety from suicide does not necessarily mean the suicidal thoughts have completely stopped. Thoughts and intentions can change from day to day, so continue having candid conversations and accessing help from trained professionals as needed.

If you or your loved one has decided to move forward with a commitment to safety, what comes next?

Find A Specialist

In some cases, better managing PD symptoms can provide relief from despair. Partner with a Movement Disorder Specialist who you trust. A PD specialist can help you optimize medication options and explore surgical options, if recommended. Seeking additional specialists like physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists and licensed clinical social workers or neuropsychologists with PD training can also help you manage symptoms. Talk to your care team about depression and suicidal thoughts.

Try other forms of therapeutic support: music therapy, dance/movement therapy, art therapy, massage therapy or acupuncture and other complementary medicines. Engaging in counseling, Parkinson’s support groups, exercise and wellness programs can also help you manage your PD symptoms. Explore palliative care as an added layer of support.

Plan Ahead

End-of-life planning is more than establishing who will handle your affairs after you die. End-of-life planning includes making plans for what could happen before we die, allowing us to assert some control over one’s future and one’s death.

Arranging a living will and durable powers of attorney for healthcare and finances, partnering with your doctor to sign a portable medical order (POLST/MOLST), and/or completing a Five Wishes advance directive are all ways to plan ahead. This effort can also bring peace of mind and comfort to our loved ones. Learn more about planning ahead.

Death with Dignity / Medical Aid in Dying

People with Parkinson’s may think of the challenges or complications that can occur during late-stage PD and decide they prefer dying on their own terms. Some Helpline callers have inquired about assisted dying or assisted dying laws. According to Death with Dignity, “Death with dignity laws allow qualified terminally-ill adults to voluntarily request and receive a prescription medication to hasten their death.

As of September 2019, aid in dying statutes are in effect in California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. More information about Death with Dignity can be found on their website or by calling 503-228-4415. The Parkinson’s Foundation acknowledges that assisted dying is one among many end-of-life options that some might consider.

Re-establish Your Identity and Meaning

Our identity, sense of self and understanding of our purpose or reason for living can be challenged when we feel disempowered, disheartened or in despair. People at any point along the journey of PD may struggle with these challenges. Try these approaches:

1. Turn to a family member or friend, support group member, counselor or spiritual leader for support with existential questions.
2. Seek ways to reconnect with the parts of your identity that are not tied to your diagnosis and symptoms.
3. Help or mentor other people with PD. Offer to make telephone check in-calls to members of your exercise class or support group. Utilize your experiences to answer questions posted on online PD forums.
4. Volunteer outside the PD community. Many local senior service organizations or grief support agencies look for volunteers to help with telephone-based support programs. Visit a site like VolunteerMatch.

Anyone who has considered suicide has their own reason for doing so and their own journey to find hope again. If you have been there, share what has helped you. Consider submitting a My PD Story as we continue to open the dialogue on this under-discussed topic.

For more information read Suicide and Parkinson’s.

For immediate assistance, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.