Expanded Offering of Services by Parkinson's NSW for Patient Support
Parkinson's NSW Expands Support Services
In an effort to provide comprehensive care and support to individuals living with Parkinson's and their families, Parkinson's NSW has launched a series of additional services and resources.
Three interactive online training modules are now available for those interested in learning more about Parkinson's. These modules cover topics such as "Introduction to Parkinson's," "Best Care Practices for Parkinson's," and "Exercise for Parkinson's."
Zoom sessions for Support Groups are open to any registered participants at no cost. These sessions provide a platform for individuals to share experiences and gain support from others in similar situations.
The InfoLine team, a dedicated group of professionals, offers information, support, and practical advice to people living with Parkinson's, care partners, family members, and Primary and Allied health professionals.
Four Facebook Groups are available for Caregivers, Young Onset, Support Groups Online Community, and Support Group Leadership Teams. These groups offer a space for individuals to connect, share experiences, and seek advice from others in the Parkinson's community.
Beyond their helpline, support groups, counselling, and community-based Parkinson's Specialist Nurses, Parkinson's NSW offers several additional services.
Specialist Parkinson's Nurses provide expert nursing care, education for aged care facilities and healthcare professionals, and facilitate referrals to complementary therapies like physiotherapy and occupational therapy. They also support patients during hospital stays and run weekly clinics in various Northern NSW locations.
Parkinson's NSW organizes educational events such as a "Newly Diagnosed Seminar," aimed at people diagnosed within the last two years. This program covers various expert-led sessions including medication management, speech therapy, physiotherapy, counselling for non-physical aspects of Parkinson's, and peer sharing.
Through partnerships with local health districts and networks, Parkinson's NSW supports integrated services offering access to neurologists specialized in movement disorders who provide both ambulatory and virtual clinics to maximize patient outcomes.
Parkinson's NSW also provides informational resources and referral pathways to additional therapies and support services, working in collaboration with health districts and related organizations to enhance patient care.
The Parkinson's NSW Counselling offers individual and group sessions, delivered in person, over telephone, and via Zoom teleconferencing. Common issues addressed in counselling include support for newly diagnosed clients, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, suicidal ideation, uncertainty about the future, carer stress and burnout, employment issues, managing the progression of Parkinson's, living with the physical effects of the disease, dealing with treatments, ensuring clear communication with doctors, maintaining emotional balance, maintaining confidence and a positive self-image, building and maintaining social relationships, and building and maintaining a strong support network.
For further information on online education, email education@our website. The online education modules can be accessed at https://www.our website/education/.
The Parkinson's NSW InfoLine is a free service that handles up to 400 calls per month. Typical InfoLine enquiries include medication issues, mental health support, family and caregiver support, NDIS information and advocacy, community engagement and resources, lifestyle and daily living, and newly diagnosed support.
In addition to face-to-face Groups, there are five Zoom videoconferencing Groups for Young Onset, Carers' Chat, Leadership Teams, Let's Talk Parkinson's, and Deep Brain Stimulation.
The Information and Education team manages in-person information seminars and the development and distribution of online learning modules. The nurses support over 2,300 patients and provide more than 200 neurological telehealth consultations each year. Counselling services support people living with Parkinson's, care partners, couples, and family members.
The Parkinson's Specialist Nurses are based in Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Tweed, and Goulburn. Movement Disorder Specialists providing these consultations are based in Westmead Hospital, St Vincent's Hospital, Macquarie University Hospital, and John Hunter Hospital.
These expanded services complement the core offerings of helplines, counselling, and support groups, aiming to provide holistic multidisciplinary care, education, and specialist access to people living with Parkinson's and their families in New South Wales.
- Science and medical research play a significant role in Parkinson's NSW's efforts, as they offer online educational modules on topics like "Introduction to Parkinson's," "Best Care Practices for Parkinson's," and "Exercise for Parkinson's."
- To cater to various medical-conditions and age groups, Parkinson's NSW has four Facebook Groups for Caregivers, Young Onset, Support Groups Online Community, and Support Group Leadership Teams, providing a space for individuals to connect and share experiences.
- Furthermore, the organization provides health and wellness support through the "Newly Diagnosed Seminar" program, covering expert-led sessions on topics like medication management, physiotherapy, and emotional support for people diagnosed within the last two years.
- For individuals dealing with neurological disorders like Parkinson's, Parkinson's NSW's health-and-wellness services extend beyond support groups and counselling to include specialized nursing care, education for aged care facilities, and facilitation of referrals to complementary therapies such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
