Anne Martin's Blog

I have worked in this field for so many years and yet each Facebook group postings I read  and whenever I talk with PWP I realise that no matter how much we go on about changes and expert patient and patient empowerment t simply doesn't happen expert in very few...

When treatments for Parkinson’s disease are changed most people notice an improvement in their symptoms. Occasionally a change in medication can cause a worsening of symptoms. If the dose has recently been increased or a n Common side effects include:  Nausea and...

Constipation: Often caused through dehydration ,reduced mobility, poor nutritional intake, and poor absorption the gut (of the person with Parkinsons) from the nutritional and fluid intake. Everyone's bowel movement vary from daily to every 2 days. In Parkinsons it...

Dehydration in PWP can occur any time of year not just in hot weather. A PWP sitting in a hot centrally heated room are as prone to dehydration as a person sitting in direct sunlight in Summer. When I am in clinic I ask PWP "do you ever feel thirsty?" often the answer...

The main cardinal signs to look for when your Parkinsons symptoms change suddenly: Urinary Tract Infection: people with Parkinsons may not necessarily develop symptoms of burning or develop urgency in running to the toilet of have a temperature. A sudden change in...

slides for nurses and allied health professionals on PD MSA PSP DLBD and DEMENTIAS

HOW TO WRITE A NURSING PAPER I am hoping by including this into the nursing topics it will encourage you to think about writing a nursing paper. You don't have to be an academic but to simply have a passion about a topic that interest you and is off benefit to your...

KCH Model of care was a paper written and developed by Jane Mills PDNS and myself describing the model of care at KCH London. When I started out as a new nurse in post there was basically nothing out there for me to turn to in order to set up a nursing service. I...

Non motor symptoms are very well recognised in Parkinsons and the non-motor symptom tool developed by the Kings College team lead by Prof Ray Chaudhuri is used all over the world and is now available in many languages. The tool assesses 30 non-motor symptoms of...

As a PDNS my skills are often learnt from clinics from the PWP and their families. Books have a limitation as Parkinsons symptoms are visual in most cases unlike many other neurological conditions. The resting tremor slowness of movement or as with the younger...

I first met Danny when I was a PDNS in Bromley. I had not worked with Parkinsons before and was learning on the job. Danny was one of the first young People I had met with YOPD and at that time one of the most complex case. I first saw Danny running  in the community...

I am used to having everything around me when supporting people with Parkinsons . I simply make a referral press a button and it all just happens. A person with Parkinsons comes into clinic with a speech problem they get seen by the SALT team. Poor mobility and they...

I need non medical jargon help at the touch of a fingertip any time of day. Dad has adavanced end stage Parkinsons and we as a family have chosen to care for him at home. Most of the time its good with the help of a live in carer a care package and loads of space....

There are many treatments for Parkinsons and these treatments and how they are prescribed vary across the world and it is impossible for me to cover all countries. On this page I will be covering the medications available in the UK. Wherever I teach I get asked what...