Our next topic is so important we are taking two episodes to tackle it. The topic is mental health and the non-motor symptoms of mood and thinking disorders that some people with Parkinson’s experience. It is a very sensitive and tough subject for some people. However, I always subscribe to wanting to understand as much as I can about my condition in order to be best informed and prepared.

We have an excellent physician expert, Dr. Daniel Weintraub from the University of Pennsylvania, to walk us through this topic and the various disorders under the broader umbrella of mental health.  First up in this episode, we get a general overview and then address the symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as possible treatments. I hope you’ll listen and encourage friends and family to as well.

https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/depression-anxiety 

https://www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Symptoms/Non-Movement-Symptoms/Depression

 

Here at the Parkinson’s Experience, we try to cover every topic that may help even one person out there in podcast land. So, that includes not just the clinical or physical issues that can arise and not just the social and mental challenges that can be difficult but also the financial and work-related strains that can exist for people with a progressive neurological disease.

That leads me to introducing this episode’s topic – Social Security Disability (SSD).  Because most Parkinson’s patients are over 65 years old, this topic might not be discussed much within support groups. However, understanding the who, what, where and why of SSD might be a vital lifeline for the younger crowd as they manage their PD journey.  Let’s chat with an attorney focused in this area to learn about this option and the process of applying.  We learned a lot, hope you do as well.

http://www.injuredworker.com/

https://nosscr.org/

Summer travel season is around the corner. Although we are still Covid aware, it looks like travel is back. Whether by train, plane or automobile, Americans will be moving again. So, it is a fantastic time to check in with a Movement Disorder Specialist neurologist on how best to travel when you have Parkinson’s disease or are traveling with someone who does. We discuss general tips that can save time and frustrations as well as how to manage your meds. I get a lot of questions about the latter so stay tuned and take notes. I truly hope you can use this important information for your plans this summer or whenever you hit the road. OK, this podcast is ready for take off!

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/can-you-pack-your-meds-pill-case-and-more-questions-answered 

OT is third in our 3-part series on the therapies most important to people with Parkinson’s. We covered physical therapy and speech therapy. If you haven’t listened to those two yet, please find episodes 49 and 51. They are very educational. 

OT, of course, stands for Occupational Therapy. Wait, don’t stop listening. OT does not mean occupational training.  It does mean therapy or treating patients how to recover and get back to doing their everyday activities.  Occupational therapists like the one you’ll hear next listen to what activities of daily living you are struggling with and work with you to adapt and/or provide exercises to improve your abilities and live your best life with PD.  Some common symptoms might be buttoning a shirt, cutting up food, handwriting or typing and brushing teeth. The good news is occupational therapists can and do help us with any and all of the struggles we come across on this journey. You just need to reach out. 

For now, stay tuned to learn from the expert and hear a patient’s story.

https://www.lsvtglobal.com/

https://www.pwr4life.org/

https://www.honorhealth.com/neuroscience-institute 

Next up is part two in our three-part series on the therapies that are important to understand if diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. This episode we focus on speech language pathology or therapy. I am guessing a lot of this information will be new to most of you. It was to me. 

The speech language pathologist professionals help with communications disorders, cognitive-communication disorders, voice disorders, and swallowing disorders. We may encounter any or all of these at some point on our journey with this disease.

So, listen in to learn from an expert speech language pathologist as she takes us through what to look out for and how to get help. We also hear from a real person with Parkinson’s tell her story on this topic.  Enjoy!

https://www.lsvtglobal.com/

https://www.parkinsonvoiceproject.org/

So, listeners, we made it to the 50th episode of The Parkinson’s Experience podcast. Wow. I am absolutely thrilled to have made it this far and am encouraged that we will still be talking about our Parkinson’s experiences on this podcast for years to come. Of course, I couldn’t have done this without your support and the support of my exclusive sponsor, Boston Scientific. I am continuedly humbled and touched to learn from listeners who send in comments about how this podcast has made a difference in their lives. That is its purpose and mine.  Please keep sending in your experiences and comments.

As promised, we are reversing the mic on this, our 50th episode. I become the interviewee. I asked Lindsay McGuire to be the interviewer. Lindsay is a big fan of the Parkinson’s Experience. She works with Boston Scientific Deep Brain Stimulation patients in Arizona.

Enjoy the conversation dear listeners.

We will resume our 3-part series on the rehab therapies with our next episode.

This is the first of our three-part series on the rehab therapies – physical, occupational and speech. All three of these therapies are extremely important throughout our journey with Parkinson’s disease. Most people with Parkinson’s will end up interacting with all three and the trained professionals in each discipline. Up first, physical therapy or PT. This might be the one you think of first when you think of rehab or symptoms associated with Parkinson’s. You may see your physical therapist more frequently than your neurologist some years, so it is important you understand the benefits and goals. We speak with a Doctor of Physical Therapy about the role of PT in our health outcomes and what to expect.  We also speak with a person with Parkinson’s about her experience. Please listen on.

Links to find a physical therapist in your area who specializes in Parkinson's disease:

https://lsvtglobal.com

https://pwr4life.org 

Someone suggested the title of this episode be “potcast” which would have been cute. However, this is a serious topic so we resisted the urge to be cute on this one. This is not an endorsement of a therapy for Parkinson’s (you should always speak with your doctor before taking any medication). Rather it is meant to be educational and informational – a good, quick reference to the use of cannabis in the treatment of some of the symptoms of PD. In fact, we have included important reference links in the episode description if you want to learn more. In this episode, you will learn from an expert about the science, research, chemistry, politics, and history of cannabis. We break down the differences between CDB and THC – both chemicals isolated from the cannabis plant but having different effects. We also discuss the percentages of people with Parkinson’s who use it or are open to trying.

As of this recording, there are 46 states where medical marijuana is available. In nine states, marijuana is available without a doctor’s prescription. Each state regulates this industry differently, but all have designated and licensed dispensaries where residents can obtain the products.

We hope you will keep listening to this “potcast” to learn about the potential use of cannabis in treating some symptoms of Parkinson’s.

Here's a few articles for reference:

• Why Do Parkinson's Patients Use Medical Marijuana?

• 1 in 5 Parkinson's Patients Use Cannabis

• Marijuana-Based Parkinson's Medication Moves Forward

• Fighting Parkinson's with Medical Marijuana

• Cannabis a "Viable Alternative" to Parkinson's Medication

Florida patients looking to get their medical marijuana cards can go to CannaMD.com.

The topic for our end of 2021 podcast episode is how the Veterans Administration in the U.S., services the needs of our veterans with Parkinson’s disease.  And it is good news for our heroes. Additionally, everyone can learn something from our speaker, Dr. Paul Larson a neurosurgeon. It isn’t just for our vets and their care partners, friends, and family. Listen to learn more about the VA program called PADRECC and cutting-edge research that has helped all of us. It played a key role in bringing us Deep Brain Stimulation surgery and some awesome neurosurgeons. 

https://www.parkinsons.va.gov/index.asp

https://neurosurgery.arizona.edu/profile/paul-s-larson-md-faans

Most of us people with Parkinson’s know that exercise is essential to living well with PD. We may not realize how important it is to exercise our brain as well. Yet, it is just as vital to challenge our brain as we do our bodies.  Improvisation is a fun way to check this box. Improv might not be what you think it is. It isn’t stand-up comedy, and it really isn’t scary. It is an unplanned collaborative response to others using games and play to illicit reactions. Anyone can do it and it seems to improve quality of life.

My guests, Robert Cochrane and Susan Scarlett, will fill you in on how improv can and has helped People with Parkinson’s (and others) become stronger, more capable, more positive, and more self-confident person. Listen on to learn from a PhD candidate studying the effects of improv on quality of life for People with Parkinson's and from one of his improv/PD students.

You can find out more about Robert and his improv classes at www.yesandexercise.com