Terms you'll keep running into
The words that come up again and again in the exam room, on test results and in research news — explained in plain language, in one place.
Understanding PD #1What Parkinson's disease actually is
What Parkinson's disease is, what happens in the brain, how common it is, and how doctors reach a diagnosis — explained in plain language.
Getting out of bedTurning over and getting out of bed
When turning over in bed or getting up becomes hard with Parkinson's — how to break the movement into steps, and which bedding and equipment help.
Care partner burnoutHow not to burn out as a care partner
Parkinson's care partners provide an average of 31 hours of care a week. How to spot the warning signs early, and how to stop carrying all of it alone.
Understanding PD #6Other conditions that get confused with Parkinson's
Conditions whose symptoms resemble Parkinson's closely enough to be mistaken for it — from essential tremor to atypical parkinsonism and normal pressure hydrocephalus, and what sets each apart.
ConstipationConstipation
Why constipation is so common in Parkinson's, how to manage it with fluids, fiber and exercise, and what to check when it gets severe.
WorkStaying in work
How to decide when and what to tell your employer, what workplace adjustments are worth asking for, and where to get free expert help on requesting them.
Dental careGoing to the dentist
What makes dental visits harder with Parkinson's and what to arrange in advance — appointment timing, dry mouth, swallowing, and sharing your medication list.
Depression & apathyWhen your mood sinks
Depression and apathy are not the same thing in Parkinson's — starting with the fact that neither one is laziness, but a symptom of changing brain chemistry.
Meals & medication timingMeals and medication timing
Levodopa and dietary protein compete for the same absorption route. How to space doses around meals, and why weight loss needs watching.
Dressing & bathingDressing and bathing
When getting dressed and washing become hard with Parkinson's — timing it to your medication, choosing fabrics and fasteners, and making the bathroom safe.
DrivingDriving
Why Parkinson's can affect driving, how fitness to drive is actually assessed, and what to know before you give up the keys.
DroolingDrooling
In Parkinson's, drooling happens not because you make more saliva but because you swallow less often. What helps, and how botulinum toxin treatment works.
Freezing of gaitWhen your feet freeze mid-step
Freezing of gait — when your feet suddenly stick to the floor as you walk. When it tends to happen, and practical ways to get moving again in the moment.
Hallucinations & delusionsWhen you see things that aren't there
The visual hallucinations 20% to 30% of people with Parkinson's experience — what causes them, what to say in the moment, and when to tell your care team.
Home fall preventionA home you don't fall in
Most falls in Parkinson's happen inside the home. What to check in each room — living room, bedroom, bathroom, stairs and kitchen.
Hospital & surgeryWhat to have ready before a hospital stay
How to keep your medication on time in hospital or around surgery, which drugs to avoid, and what to bring with you.
Impulse controlWhen impulses get hard to control
The impulse control disorders that can appear after starting a dopamine agonist — gambling, shopping, binge eating, heightened sex drive — why they are hard to notice in yourself, and what to do.
Understanding PD #5Is Parkinson's hereditary?
How much of a role genetics actually plays in Parkinson's, and how much the risk rises for your family.
Legal planningLegal planning (power of attorney and advance decisions)
The two documents worth sorting out while your judgment is still clear — a durable power of attorney and an advance directive — and why telling your family matters as much as signing them.
Living aloneLiving on your own with Parkinson's
What to put in place if you live alone with Parkinson's — a way to call for help, support services worth asking about, and how to build a day around your best hours.
Memory & focusMemory and focus
The cognitive changes in Parkinson's affect attention and getting things done more than pure memory. Here is what mild cognitive impairment looks like, and what helps.
MicrographiaWhen your handwriting gets smaller
Micrographia — the shrinking handwriting that comes with Parkinson's. Why it happens, and the pens, paper and practice methods that help.
Assistive devicesChoosing assistive devices
From canes and walkers to utensils that steady a tremor — how to choose the assistive devices that help most in daily life with Parkinson's.
First stepsJust diagnosed — what to do first
The things worth taking care of right after a Parkinson's diagnosis — from giving yourself time, to building your care team, to asking what support is available.
Care facilitiesLooking into a care facility
What assisted living and nursing homes actually are, how they differ, who pays for what, and how to judge a place before you sign anything.
Orthostatic hypotensionWhen standing up makes you dizzy
Feeling lightheaded when you stand up from sitting or lying down is orthostatic hypotension. It leads easily to falls — here are practical ways to handle it.
PainPain
Pain in Parkinson's isn't one single thing — from musculoskeletal pain to dystonic pain and central pain, here is what each type looks like.
Understanding PD #4What the stages of Parkinson's mean
The Hoehn and Yahr scale used to describe how far Parkinson's has progressed, stages 1 through 5, and what it means for life expectancy — in plain language.
Understanding PD #3The symptoms, at a glance
The main motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's, plus the motor fluctuations that show up during medication treatment — along with the early signs worth watching for.
Sexual healthSexual health
Sexual difficulties are common for people with Parkinson's and their partners, but rarely talked about. What causes them, what helps, and how to raise it.
Choosing shoesChoosing shoes
What makes a shoe right for someone with Parkinson's — sole material, heel height and fasteners, weighed against both falls and freezing of gait.
SleepSleep
More than 75% of people with Parkinson's run into sleep problems — what REM sleep behavior disorder, restless legs syndrome and insomnia each look like, and what helps.
HypophoniaWhen your voice gets quiet
Hypophonia — the softening voice that comes with Parkinson's. What you can try in the moment, and what professional voice therapy involves.
DysphagiaWhen swallowing becomes difficult
The signs of swallowing problems in Parkinson's, and practical mealtime techniques that help keep food and drink from going down the wrong way.
TravelGetting ready to travel
Parkinson's doesn't mean giving up travel. Packing your medication, handling time zones, and what to check on travel insurance before you go.
Young-onsetIf you were diagnosed young
Being diagnosed with Parkinson's before 50 — young-onset Parkinson's — differs from the usual picture in a lot of ways, from the genetic link to how symptoms progress to worries about work and raising children.
Understanding PD #2Why Parkinson's happens
Genetics, environmental exposures, age, and the link between the brain and the gut — what is known about the causes of Parkinson's, in plain language.
Fall preventionSimply walking with a friend lowers your risk of falling
Why walking with company helps your gait and balance, how the person with you can help when freezing hits, and how to walk together safely.
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