Parkinson's
Posted by Bill Molesworth
Nancy Harris introduced Karen Powell who celebrates a week in Rotary, having been inducted into the Guelph South Club recently. She's the Community Resource Co-ordinator for the Parkinson's Society.
Karen said she appreciated the opportunity. The Society promotes Education, Advocacy, Research and Support Services with the aim of promoting the quality of life of sufferers. There are 12 Regional Districts and 41 Chapters in Canada - the one that includes Midland is Central and Northern Ontario. They are not government funded.
The Society advocates with government, intercedes with insurance companies, supports research, though not as much as they'd like to, and tries to help the 100,000 people who have the disease, which has a huge social impact; an estimated cost of 558 million a year in lost productivity and medical costs.
There is no cure; it's a progressive, chronic neurological affliction caused by a loss of dopomine which is what sends messages to the muscles. The general perception is that it strikes older people but we are seeing it in people as young as 30 and the incidence is expected to double as the boomers age. It's not progressive - it starts at different places on the scale with different people.
One friend of Karens has had deep brain stimulus which seems to help because the messages you take for granted don't get to the limbs but the wires short the signals. When another victim finds his legs freezing, he throws a ball out in front of himself which makes him concentrate.
Depression is common in patients, not necessarily because they have it but because depression is linked to dopomine and seratonin. Sometimes anti-depressants help.
Speech is affected. Sufferers have less volume and poor articulation and many people don't have the patience to understand so the victim feels isolated. Public awareness is low and often people with Parkinsons are thought to be drunks, for instance, and evicted from malls etc.
The Society has entered into a partnership with Extendicare in Toronto and opened a specific residential unit where the specific needs of Parkinson's patients can be met.
The Society sponsors a Superwalk which has been gaining support and which will be held in Midland, for the first time, this September, so please think about helping out then.
Symptoms are depression, a freezing shoulder, restless sleep and loss of the sense of smell. But by the time most people are diagnosed, it's usually almost too late and 80% of their dopomine is gone. There's no test but if cymament relieves symptoms, you have it.
Arnie thanked Karen, wishing her luck as a Rotarian and in her role with the Society. He appreciated her sharing and expanding our knowledge of this affliction.
The Society advocates with government, intercedes with insurance companies, supports research, though not as much as they'd like to, and tries to help the 100,000 people who have the disease, which has a huge social impact; an estimated cost of 558 million a year in lost productivity and medical costs.
There is no cure; it's a progressive, chronic neurological affliction caused by a loss of dopomine which is what sends messages to the muscles. The general perception is that it strikes older people but we are seeing it in people as young as 30 and the incidence is expected to double as the boomers age. It's not progressive - it starts at different places on the scale with different people.
One friend of Karens has had deep brain stimulus which seems to help because the messages you take for granted don't get to the limbs but the wires short the signals. When another victim finds his legs freezing, he throws a ball out in front of himself which makes him concentrate.
Depression is common in patients, not necessarily because they have it but because depression is linked to dopomine and seratonin. Sometimes anti-depressants help.
Speech is affected. Sufferers have less volume and poor articulation and many people don't have the patience to understand so the victim feels isolated. Public awareness is low and often people with Parkinsons are thought to be drunks, for instance, and evicted from malls etc.
The Society has entered into a partnership with Extendicare in Toronto and opened a specific residential unit where the specific needs of Parkinson's patients can be met.
The Society sponsors a Superwalk which has been gaining support and which will be held in Midland, for the first time, this September, so please think about helping out then.
Symptoms are depression, a freezing shoulder, restless sleep and loss of the sense of smell. But by the time most people are diagnosed, it's usually almost too late and 80% of their dopomine is gone. There's no test but if cymament relieves symptoms, you have it.
Arnie thanked Karen, wishing her luck as a Rotarian and in her role with the Society. He appreciated her sharing and expanding our knowledge of this affliction.