Sign the Global Parkinson's Pledge

In support of Parkinson's Awareness Month, our clinic is encouraging patients to spread the word about the Global Parkinson's Pledge. We have created and displayed a poster briefly detailing what it is about and how to be involved. Every little bit helps! And we have fresh tulips in the waiting room!

April is Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month

Social work month is winding down (Happy Social Work Month to everyone!) and tomorrow we will be on to Parkinson's disease awareness month for April.  In honor of PD Awareness Month I thought it would be a good idea for everyone to post the activities and programs you are involved in to help raise awareness about PD.

In April Here at the Parkinson Center of Oregon I am co-facilitating an eight week group for spouses living with someone who has PD called the The Mindset of Healthy Caregiving.  This group has some elements of CBT and is based on the EduPark program out of Europe. This program focuses on skill building to live well with PD (either as the person with PD or as the caregiver).

On April 14th we are putting on our Caregiver Conference, a night set up just for family caregivers of PD.

And finally throughout the month of April and all of spring we will be promoting our PD walk called Paws for a Cause: A benefit for Parkinson's disease, which takes place in July.

It will be a busy month, that is for sure. I am frequently inspired when I learn about the programs other PD Social Workers are involved with at their centers or chapters. I am proud to work with such a great group of  Social Workers and we all do so much to help families throughout the year. Take a moment and let your colleagues know about the great programs you offer at your center or chapter.

Jason

Placebo to treat depression?

According to some new research out of Austria, 75% of "healthy" people would be okay with receiving a placebo to treat depression. This whole topic is rife with ethical concerns, but it is interesting that 3 out of 4 people believe that they would be okay with taking a placebo to treat a very serious condition like depression. It also speaks to the power of the placebo effect and some research that calls into question the possibly overestimated efficacy of anti-depressants in treating depression.  Interesting as well, is the fact that the researchers polled "healthy individuals" about this.  These are people who have presumably never been depressed and so I would think are not in a very good position to say they would be okay with receiving a placebo to treat their depression.

Here is a link to the article:  Placebo to treat depression?

Jason

Advanced Care Planning

British Columbia is putting alot of effort into educating health care workers and the public about the advantagese of advanced care planning. A fantastic workbook has been created to help people have conversations about future health care decisions and to think about choices in care. I would recommend looking at www.fraserhealth.ca and search "My Voice Workbook".
Elaine

National Sleep Awareness Week

Who knew it was National Sleep Awareness Week?  Who even knew there was a National Sleep Awareness Week?  I know I didn't.

More light is being shed on the importance of sleep and this gentleman from the Harvard Business Review believes that sleep is more important than food.  I know I am one who used to skimp on sleep in favor of other activities, and I was worse for it.  I no longer skimp on sleep (usually), however many of our PD patients and their spouses are not so lucky.

Sleep is More Important than Food

Jason

HDSA National Convention, 2011

It's a little ways off but never too late to start planning to go if you can make it.  The Huntington's Disease Society of America's yearly national convention is a great event.  If you haven't been to one before I highly recommend that you try to make it.  The convention is attended by many people in the Huntington's community including families and the leading HD experts.  This year's convention is in Minneapolis.  Click the link below for registration and other information.

HDSA National Convention--2011

Jason

Peer Support: Effective treatment for depression?

A new meta-analytic study is providing yet more evidence for the value of social connectedness.  The analysis suggests that peer support is just as effective as CBT in the treatment of depression.

Peer Support in the treatment of depression

Jason

Parkinson's specific form for VA PD service connection claims

I cannot remember if I have already posted this or not, but there is a Parkinson's disease specific form veterans who served in Vietnam should fill out if they are pursuing service connection for PD and probable Agent Orange exposure. 

Here is the link:  PD Disability Benefits Questionnaire

I usually help the veteran fill the form out and expand on the information either via a letter or in the comments section of the form, as the form itself is not very descriptive. In addition to this I always have the veteran get connected with their local Veteran Service Officer (VSO) to help with the applicaiton process. 

Do many of you work with Vietnam veterans who inquire about service connection benefits for their PD?

Jason

Berries and PD

Some interesting research on incorporating berries into your diet leading to a decreased risk of developing PD.

Berries and PD

Jason

Dopamine Agonists and Compulsive Behaviors

It seems there has been an increase in news stories of late about  dopamine agonists (DA) and their side effects, particularly compulsive behaviors. Two such stories recently have featured men with PD who are now suing the makers of these drugs because they developed compulsive behaviors that lead to financial or other loss in their life.  Here is one of the stories out of Scotland:

PD drug and gambling addiction law suit

Though infrequent, I have seen a handful of families in clinic that have experienced some level of financial ruin due to compulsive spending or gambling after beginning a dopamine agonist. Our clinicians do a great job of counseling patients AND spouses about the risk for side effects associated with these drugs, but a handful of patients experience these very troubling compulsive behaviors anyway and often lack insight into their behaviors. These compulsive behaviors nearly always cause hardship, loss, and grief for the patient, the spouse, and their relationship. Our clinicians are careful to assess for the presence of these troubling side effects at follow-up appointments with both the patient and the spouse, but due to the nature of the compulsive behaviors (often secretive) these compulsive behaviors can go on for some time with detection by the spouse or provider.

What is the Social Worker's role in counseling patients and spouses about the risks of these drugs before they start taking them and as they are taking them?  How much should providers and Social Workers assess for the existence of these compulsive behaviors beyond discussion of the matter in clinic?  There is no doubt that many PD patients can get substantial relief from some of their PD symptoms with the use of these drugs. But the prevalence rate of the terrible side effects associated with the use of DAs seems to be high enough that it begs the question of weighing the risk vs. the reward in taking these medications. There are other side effects associated with these drugs that are more common than compulsive behaviors (fatigue) that are troubling to PD patients as well.

I would love to hear others' thoughts on this matter. Specifically: 

• How much do your providers use these DAs in the treatment of PD?
• What is the prevalence rate of the compulsive behaviors side effect in the use of DAs?  
• How frequently do you see the terrible side effects of compulsive behaviors in the use of these drugs?  
• And ultimately how can we as social workers intervene to assist families with this issue?

Jason