Building a Parkinson's disease care team

Parkinson’s disease is a disorder that affects the nervous system, causing problems with movement, balance, and coordination, as well as a broad range of non-movement symptoms that can affect thinking, memory, mood, behavior, sleep, and many other aspects of a person’s health and well-being.

Because Parkinson’s disease can affect so many aspects of a person’s health, people who are living with Parkinson’s disease often work with multiple healthcare providers with different specialties. This is called a multidisciplinary approach to treatment.

If you or a loved one is living with Parkinson’s disease, it can be helpful to know what specialists people with this condition may work with, and where those specialists fit into different aspects of care.

Neurologist

A neurologist is a medical doctor who specializes in diseases and conditions that affect the nervous system. This is typically the healthcare provider who diagnoses Parkinson’s disease and oversees treatment, including prescribing medications to ease symptoms and monitoring for any changes in symptoms.

Many people with Parkinson’s disease are treated by general neurologists who have experience with the condition, others work with movement disorder specialists. A movement disorder specialist is a neurologist who has completed additional training focused on movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease. Movement disorder specialists are often a good choice for anyone seeking a second opinion, changing providers, or who are changing treatments.

A team may also include a neurosurgeon if Parkinson’s disease is being treated with deep brain stimulation, a type of therapy that involves an implant that provides specific parts of the brain with electrical pulses to stimulate activity.

Primary care provider

A primary care provider is the healthcare provider that a person sees for preventive care, minor illnesses and injuries, and other basic health concerns. In many cases, this is the first provider a person will consult about Parkinson’s disease symptoms, before being referred to a neurologist. A primary care provider may continue to play a role in healthcare, coordinating with a neurologist, providing referrals to other specialists for the treatment of non-motor symptoms, and addressing any health concerns not related to Parkinson’s disease.

Rehabilitation professionals

Rehabilitation therapy focuses on helping a person maintain independence, reduce their risk of injury, and maintain quality of life while living with Parkinson’s disease. This part of a healthcare team may include:

• Physical therapist. This provider develops a personalized exercise plan to help a person maintain or improve strength, mobility, balance, and overall physical functioning.
• Occupational therapist. Occupational therapy focuses on maintaining independence, safety, and the ability to manage everyday tasks. This can involve learning new skills, adaptations to the home, and adaptive equipment.
• Speech-language pathologist. This specialist helps address difficulties with speech, communication, and swallowing, which affect many people with Parkinson’s disease.

Registered dietitian

Parkinson’s disease can affect what a person needs to eat, what they are capable of eating, and their ability to prepare food. Nutritional deficiencies are common—and can worsen Parkinson’s symptoms. The condition is also associated with unintentional weight loss. A registered dietitian can assess nutritional needs, build an eating plan that meets those needs, and adjust meal preparation to accommodate any mobility limitations.

Mental health and social support

Mental health and social support are important to people living with Parkinson’s disease and caregivers. Social workers, mental health professionals, and support groups can be a valuable part of care:

• Social workers can provide counseling, assist with accessing resources, and help people with Parkinson’s disease and caregivers navigate the healthcare system.
• Mental health professionals are a necessary part of a healthcare team for anyone experiencing depression, anxiety, or psychosis (which are common among people living with Parkinson’s disease). Even in the absence of those conditions, a mental health professional can be a valuable source of support in coping with the mental and emotional demands of living with Parkinson’s disease.
• Support groups for people with Parkinson’s and caregivers offer the opportunity to connect with other people whose lives have been affected by the condition, and can be a source of emotional support, community, and information.

Pharmacist

Medications are a mainstay of treatment for Parkinson’s disease. People with the condition often need to take multiple medications to ease motor symptoms, ease side effects, and treat nonmotor symptoms. A pharmacist can be a valuable source of information about any questions related to these medications.