What are the Benefits of Support Groups?
One of the most demoralizing aspects of the disease is how completely the patient’s world changes. The most basic daily routines may be affected — from socializing with friends and enjoying normal and congenial relationships with family members to earning a living and taking care of a home. Faced with a very different life, people need encouragement to remain as active and involved as possible. That’s when support groups can be of particular value to parkinsonian patients, their families, and their caregivers. A list of national volunteer organizations that can help patients locate support groups in their communities appears at the end of this brochure. Can Scientists Predict or Prevent Parkinson’s Disease? As yet, there is no way to predict or prevent the disease. However, researchers are now looking for a biomarker — a biochemical abnormality that all patients with Parkinson’s disease might share — that could be picked up by screening techniques or by a simple chemical test given
