Specialized online course trains home health aides, nursing home staff, and
visiting nurses how to manage progressing symptoms and better care for people
with advanced Parkinson’s disease

NEW YORK, NY, July 31, 2023 – Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder and although the rate of progression varies significantly from person to person, progression itself is inevitable. With a mission to improve the quality of life of those living with PD, the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) created Taking Care of the Person with Advanced Parkinson’s Disease^©, a specialized online training course to help those who care for people with PD – particularly home health aides, nursing home staff, and visiting nurses – better understand the symptoms and challenges that come with advanced PD and how to best manage them.

Caring for someone with advanced Parkinson’s disease can be challenging and complex.  The goal of Taking Care of the Person with Advanced Parkinson’s Disease is for those who complete the course to feel better equipped to handle the obstacles that may come their way when caring for someone with advanced PD. 

The course presents an overview of Parkinson’s disease, with a focus on the person with advanced PD and is divided into three sections:

• The basics of Parkinson’s disease, including the motor symptoms of PD.
• The non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
• Treatments for PD and advice for living well with the disease.

Each section provides an overview and information presented by experts in the field, followed by a brief quiz. After completing the three sections there is a final certification test to complete.

The course is provided free of charge and takes approximately one hour to complete. Those who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion and will also receive one hour of CEU. (CEU credit will be available shortly. Those who complete the course now will be notified when the CEUs are available.)

“Home health aides and other care professionals play an important role in the PD journey and their ability to handle the increasing symptoms in those they care for can make a tremendous difference in the lives of their patients,” states Dr. Rebecca Gilbert, Chief Scientific Officer, APDA and author of the course. “This training course will help them navigate the unique needs of individuals with advanced Parkinson’s and provide a higher quality of care and support, enhancing the well-being and quality of life for those they care for.”

Leslie A. Chambers, APDA’s President and CEO states “A key part of APDA’s mission is to help people with Parkinson’s live the best life possible. By training and educating those who help care for them, especially as the disease progresses, we know it can make a tremendous difference.” She continues, “We are proud and excited to launch this new training course, and to offer it for free so that it is accessible to as many home health aides as possible.”

Taking Care of the Person with Advanced Parkinson’s Disease is now one of three free online training courses for professionals created by APDA, all available at www.apdaparkinson.org/training.

·         APDA Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Training for First Responders

·         APDA Parkinson’s Disease Training for Fitness, Health & Wellness Professionals

·         Taking Care of the Person with Advanced Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease (after Alzheimer’s) with 90,000 new diagnoses in the United States every year. It is critical to raise awareness not only among the general public, but also among the health care industry so that the PD community can be cared for and supported in the best ways possible.

About the American Parkinson Disease Association:

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is a nationwide grassroots network dedicated to fighting Parkinson’s disease (PD) and works tirelessly to help the more than one million people in the U.S. with PD live life to the fullest in the face of this chronic, neurological disorder. Founded in 1961, APDA has raised and invested more than $252 million to provide outstanding patient services and educational programs, elevate public awareness about the disease, and support research designed to unlock the mysteries of PD and ultimately put an end to this disease. To join us in the fight against Parkinson’s disease and to learn more about the support APDA provides nationally through our network of Chapters and Information & Referral (I&R) Centers, as well as our national Research Program and Centers for Advanced Research, please visit us at www.apdaparkinson.org.

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