2022 Winter Newsletter

VOLUME 58 - WINTER 2022

NEWS

A Walk in the Park is back! Save the date - 11 September 2022 Are you ready for 2022, A Walk in The Park? It is back on 11 September at Perry Lakes Reserve, Floreat. Join hundreds of people in the Parkinson’s community with your family and friends on this lovely spring day. Choose between the 2km or 5km route. Mobility scooters, walking aids and wheelchairs are all welcome. It is a family day, and there is something for everyone: food trucks, farm animals, live entertainment along with a ‘Best Dressed Pooch’ contest.

If you cannot make it on the day, why not consider a donation to Parkinson’s WA? Western Australians living with Parkinson’s, their carers and families deserve the care and support to live well. Parkinson’s WA provides this support without fees. Your donation will ensure that we can continue to provide a service which includes a Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist Service, Seminars and Support Groups.

Register today!

FOLLOW US:

CONTACT US: T: (08) 6457 7373 E: info@parkinsonswa.org.au W: www.parkinsonswa.org.au

MAJOR SUPPORTERS: MCCUSKER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

SAVE THE DATE!

Ready to register for the annual walk event? Visit parkinsons-wa-awitp.raisely.com to register and secure your place, with the opportunity to enjoy a lovely Spring day out with your community and family. Find out more on page four.

11 September (Sunday) 2022 Perry Lakes Reserve, FLOREAT Gates open 9:30am, walk starts 11:00am

A registration form will be enclosed inside.

It promises to be BIGGER with something for everyone the family. I 1 2021 in PWA Newsletter

A Walk in The Park is back!

LOCATION/POSTAL ADDRESS THE NICHE, 11 ABERDARE ROAD, NEDLANDS, WA 6009 TELEPHONE (08) 6457 7373 FAX (08) 6457 7374 FREECALL 1800 644 189 EMAIL INFO@PARKINSONSWA.ORG.AU WEBSITE PARKINSONSWA.ORG.AU

Brenda’s Bulletin

PRESIDENT JOHN MCDONALD VICE PRESIDENT PROFESSOR NATALIE GASSON TREASURER (ACTING) JOHN MCDONALD SECRETARY TAMLYN LENNOX BOARD MEMBERS DR DON BOLTO, KEITH GEERS, ALAN GRAY ALASTAIR HOPE, RYAN O’CONNOR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER BRENDA MATTHEWS OFFICE MANAGER TOBY GUMMER DONOR RELATIONS MANAGER DOROTHY KOH FINANCE MANAGER SALIL KOONJA COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR JACQUI O’LEARY SENIOR PARKINSON’S NURSE SPECIALIST JANET MCLEOD PARKINSON’S NURSE SPECIALISTS AMANDA COULTOUS, FIONA ROSCOE, JO CHADWICK, KAYLEIGH RAWLE, LIZ BICKLEY, RACHEL MARSHALL AND DONNA MALLABY NURSE SPECIALISTS’ SECRETARY LENA DIVITO COUNSELLOR TO BE ANNOUNCED

DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE PARKINSON’S NEWS 14 OCTOBER 2022 ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES INFO@PARKINSONSWA.ORG.AU DISCLAIMER - Parkinson’s Western Australia Inc has endeavoured to ensure that the information in this newsletter is accurate; however, we accept no responsibility for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in respect to the information contained in the material provided by Parkinson’s Western Australia Inc. Nor is the provision of material by Parkinson’s Western Australia Inc. to be construed as any representation that there is no other material or information available in relation to the information provided. Further, Parkinson’s Western Australia Inc. accepts no responsibility for persons who may rely upon this information for whatever purposes.

Notice of Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting is an opportunity for you to hear about our achievements over the past year. It is also a chance for you to have your say and raise any matters you think could further help people living with Parkinson’s in WA.

I said in my last Bulletin, “we will manage this together as a community”, with regards to Covid/Flu health – so I take my hat off to you all for following the guidelines when it comes to social distancing at seminars, mask wearing in certain locations, taking up the offer of vaccinations as they become available – this has helped in keeping our community as safe as possible.

The seminar program at the Niche in Nedlands is back - details are included in this issue. The next seminar, ‘Legal Planning for the Future’ is on 15 August – a very good opportunity to ensure you have done just that, ‘planning for the future’.

I look forward to seeing you all on 11 September for our 12th annual ‘A Walk in the Park’, at Perry Lakes, Floreat – I always love this event for the social aspect, exercise and entertainment all rolled into one – save the date and bring all generations of your family.

Mid-May was National Volunteers Week – I would like to add my thanks to all our support group leaders and committee members, newsletter and appeal letter packers and office support for the generous donation of their time - we really appreciate your support.

To my Nepal followers: I made it back to Nepal for two weeks on 28 May for my 14th trek! A sanity check – up to 3500m. It ended up being a trip with a difference – the monsoon season started three weeks early so the cloud was low all the time except for 30 minutes! Then when we tried to fly out of Lhukla airport (2800m) and there were no flights for two weeks.

Luckily, we managed to board one of only two helicopter flights back to Kathmandu. Next trip planned for mid-October 2022.

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain (anon).

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF PARKINSON’S WA Wednesday 26 October at 6:00pm Dear Members of Parkinson’s WA, In accordance with Rule 10.1 of the Constitution of the Parkinson’s Western Australia Inc., you are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of the members of Parkinson’s Western Australia Inc. to be held at The Niche, 11 Aberdare Road Nedlands at 6:00pm on Wednesday 26 October 2022.

In accordance with the Constitution Rule 15.4 and 15.5, any Members seeking election to the Board must submit their nomination form to the Parkinson’s WA office no later than Friday 16 September 2022.

Nominations are sought for Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and non-Executive Board Members. Nomination forms can be obtained from the Parkinson’s WA office.

Please confirm or decline your attendance by calling the office on 08 6457 7373 or by email to info@parkinsonswa.org.au We look forward to you joining us for the meeting.

Brenda Matthews Chief Executive Officer

Research Update Seminar Wednesday 26 October at 5:00pm Prior to Parkinson’s WA’s Annual General meeting, a Research Update Seminar will be held at 5:00pm.

More details will be available in the next edition of the Parkinson’s eNews.

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Update from the PWA Office Update from the Parkinson’s WA Office

Save the Date!

We have some exciting event opportunities for the community to get together and learn more about Parkinson’s. We are Parkinson’s WA and this is what we do.

Legal Planning for the Future SEMINAR Legal Planning – Monday 15 August 2022 10am to 11:30 am (approx.)

Mr Hugh Cahill, Lawyer from Cullen Macleod will take us through wills and future planning, Advanced Health Directive, Enduring Power of Attorney and Enduring Power of Guardianship which you would not want to miss.

Newly Diagnosed * SEMINAR Saturday 3 September 2022 10:30am to 1:00pm (approx.)

Associate Professor Rick Stell (Movement Disorder Specialist) will speak about Parkinson’s and treatment options. A panel of Parkinson’s Nurse Specialists will be responding to your questions in a Q&A segment. Family and friends welcome. Please RVSP by Tuesday 30 August via phone (08) 6457 7373 or email info@parkinsonswa.org.au

A Walk in the Park A Walk in the Park is back for the 12th year!

Save the date: 11 September (Sunday), Perry Lakes Reserve, Floreat. Gates open at 9:30am, walk starts at 11:00am.

Annual General Meeting Don’t miss the next Annual General Meeting for an opportunity to have your voice heard.

Wednesday 26 October at 6.00pm.

Research Update SEMINAR A Research Update Seminar will be held prior to the AGM on Wednesday 26 October at 5:00pm. More details to follow.

For bookings on Seminars, please call the Parkinson’s WA’s office.

Phone: (08) 6457 7373 or Email: info@parkinsonswa.org.au

*For people diagnosed in the last five years.

Welcome to another edition of your Newsletter!

Meet Jacqui!

We are delighted to welcome our new Communications Coordinator, Jacqui O’Leary to the Parkinson’s WA Team.

We sat down with Jacqui and asked her some questions to give you the opportunity to get to know her better!

1. What is your role at Parkinson’s WA? I am the Communications Coordinator and I have worked at Parkinson’s WA for two weeks.

I have 11 years’ experience in marketing, communications and content and I am a writer and a photographer with a background in Journalism.

2. What is your favourite part about working for Parkinson’s WA? I am dual-qualified in Community Services and my morals and values align with delivering best practice and honouring the stories of marginalised people and community members who need their voice amplified. I look forward to getting to know the Parkinson’s community more and sharing the stories that matter to you.

3. What do you like to do on the weekends and in your spare time?

I like to spend time with my 8-year-old son and you will either find me in the garden or at my art desk, working on the next big creative idea.

4. What do you think the Parkinson’s community would be most interested to know about you?

I love miniatures and I spend my downtime creating miniature scenes and building things out of clay and natural materials. Going for a walk in the park, I rarely come back empty-handed!

Please note: current government guidelines will be observed regarding mask mandates.

Would you like to receive your Parkinson’s WA Newsletter digitally?

Parkinson’s WA is working towards providing our members with the opportunity to receive their Parkinson’s WA newsletter digitally. We can assure you this will be an opt-in process and if you would like to continue receiving a physical copy of the newsletter, this will still be available to you.

Through choosing to receive your newsletter digitally, you will be helping Parkinson’s WA to reduce costs, including printing and mailing related expenses. You will also be helping to reduce your carbon footprint!

If you would like to receive your Parkinson’s WA newsletter via email, please contact the office by email - info@parkinsonswa.org.au or phone - (08) 6457 7373.

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Let’s Walk Together!

An Introduction to Innovative Therapy MR-FOCUSSED ULTRASOUND Written by Professor Richard Bittar It is difficult to think of a more exciting development in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease in the past 5 years than MR-guided focussed ultrasound. For the past couple of decades, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been the only option for many individuals living with Parkinson’s who have progressed to the point where medications are no longer delivering a desired benefit, or where the side effects of medications have become intolerable. Whilst DBS is usually very effective, it is an invasive procedure and therefore carries risks including bleeding, infection, stroke, seizures and even death. For these reasons, many people choose not to go down that path.

MR-guided focussed ultrasound is revolutionary. It allows the abnormal neural pathways in the basal ganglia deep within the brain to be disrupted. These pathways are implicated in the generation of tremor and other motor symptoms of Parkinson’s (rigidity, bradykinesia etc.). Creating small scars in these parts of the brain to reduce the movement-disturbing aspects of Parkinson’s is not new or revolutionary - but doing this in a completely non-invasive way most certainly is.

MR-guided focussed ultrasound is a novel way of performing brain surgery - no incisions, no drilling holes in the skull, no passing probes or electrodes into the brain, no hospitalisation. It is truly non-invasive.

A Walk in The Park is back. Join us, it’s the 12th year that we are hosting this great Parkinson’s community event.

When: 11 September 2022 Where: Perry Lakes Reserve, FLOREAT Time: Gate opens 9:30am Walk starts 11am-12noon

So how does it work?

Register online: parkinsons-wa-awitp.raisely.com or on event day at the site.

A Walk in The Park is a community event held by Parkinson’s WA. Join the Parkinson’s community as we come together to show our support for people living with Parkinson’s and their family.

It is a lovely Spring family day at the picturesque Perry Lakes Reserve.

There is something for everyone in the family. Enjoy a picnic with food and desserts from the array of food trucks. Be entertained by the WASAMBA drummers and Perth Charity Band. They are back again this year due to the very popular demand.

For the younger ones, come and greet the llamas and have a photo opportunity with all the fancy dressed up dogs at the event. All dogs are welcomed, they just need to register and have a leash on throughout the event.

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Well, by using amazing medical technology, over 1000 ultrasound waves, each of which has a small amount of energy, can be aimed at the same spot in the brain. By focussing all of these sound waves on the one point, the energy adds up and creates heat. By carefully raising the heat to around 55 degrees, a small scar is created in the brain, which can disrupt the tremor-generating circuit. The effects of MR-guided focussed ultrasound are similar to DBS, but many patients found the risk profile to be much more palatable - the risk of infection, major stroke, epilepsy or death is extremely lowvery close to zero.

Of course, not all patients are suitable candidates for MR-guided focussed ultrasound, however many patients are candidates for either MR-guided focussed ultrasound or DBS. This is why it is recommended to be assessed in a specialist centre that offers both of these options.

For further information regarding MR-guided focussed ultrasound please contact Professor Richard Bittar at Precision Brain Spine and Pain in Melbourne, Victoria. Prof Bittar is a neurosurgeon who has been performing DBS for nearly 20 years, and MR-guided focussed ultrasound since 2020.

Contact details are: phone: (03) 8862 0000 or email: focus@precisionhealth.com.au 2022 2021PWA PWANewsletter NewsletterI I13 9

Containers for Change

Research Update: Understanding Zebrafish

Thank you for your support to Parkinson’s WA! We have received an incredible amount of support this financial year through the Containers for Change program. Thank you to the community who have supported us through this scheme.

You can cut out the voucher on the left and take it directly to your local centre, nominating Parkinson’s WA as your preferred organisation.

Learn more at: www.containersforchange.com. au/wa/where-to-return where you can find your local drop-off point. Thanks for your support!

Some of you may remember that several years ago it was proposed that zebrafish could be used as part of innovative research in the field of Parkinson’s. At that time, we learnt that zebrafish had been commonly used as a model organism in developmental biology since the 1950’s, but more recently they emerged as a model for human diseases. The zebrafish genome is 70% similar to humans.

Zebrafish (Dano rerio) are cheap and easy to sustain, evolve rapidly, breed transparent embryos in large amounts and are easily manipulated by different models, especially genetic ones. An article published in early 2021 outlined the promise of using zebrafish in Parkinson’s models due to its wellcharacterised nervous system.

Zebrafish possess cognitive processes including learning, memory, fear, anxiety, perception, social skills and even sleep pattern. Did you know that zebrafish that exhibit high anxiety levels spend more time at the edge of a tank than at the centre and at the bottom of the tank than at the top? They are able to acquire avoidance learning and process it into long-term memory!

DONATE THE CASH THAT’S IN DONATE THE CASH YOUR CONTAINERS TO: THAT’S IN YOUR PARKINSON’S CONTAINERS TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA <INSERT REGISTERED If your drink container has a 10c mark, it is eligable for the Containers CHARITY NAME> for Change program. Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid Just use our scheme ID number <insert ID> when you return paperboard drink containers between 150ml and 3L can be saved. your containers. We’ll get 10 cents for each one.

Support Groups

To With find your off make point,aplease visit: yourlocal help,drop we can change.

https://www.containersforchange.com.au/wa/where-to-return

SOUTH & EAST METRO

NORTH & WEST MET

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BULLCREEK/LEEMING

KINGSLEY

FREMANTLE/MELVILLE

MORLEY

ROCKINGHAM

WESTERN SUBURBS

MANDURAH

PARKINSON’S CARERS NORTH

MIDLAND* ARMADALE TH

PARKINSON’S CARERS SOU

55 YEARS AND UNDER

REGIONAL ALBANY BUNBURY BUSSELTON COLLIE NORTHAM* ESPERANCE*

KINGS PARK

Zebrafish are vertebrates; hence they are closer to humans than some other mammalian models making them ideal for research. A 2020 study described how zebrafish who had been exposed (on purpose) to neurotoxins demonstrated decreased swimming speed and abnormal swimming behaviour which generally translated to the bradykinetic-like symptoms seen in people with Parkinson’s.

In an Italian study released as we go to print, it was shown that the brain tissue of zebrafish exposed to aluminum had marked cellular disorganisation and swelling. We already knew that aluminum exposure could promote oxidative stress which has long been associated with the development of Parkinson’s. This study suggests that aluminum exposure can turn on 10 Parkinson’s related genes although there was some variability in timing and expression between the individual genes.

This is very interesting and encouraging, however, we must be mindful that much more work will need to be done in the future to investigate further.

* PLEASE CONTACT THE PARKINSON’S WA OFFICE FOR UPDATES. For more information regarding our support groups, call: (08) 6457 7373, email: info@parkinsonswa.org.au or visit www.parkinsonswa.org.au/page/114/support-groups 2022 PWA Newsletter I 12

References: The promise of the Zebrafish Model for Parkinson’s Disease: Today’s Science and Tomorrow’s Treatment. Razali et al. Frontiers in Genetics April 2021 Vol. 12 pp1-17.

https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/news/aluminum-exposure-boosts-activity-parkinsons-genes-zebrafish 2021 PWA Newsletter I 5

A Note to the Postman

FROM THE NURSES’ DESKS Dear All,

Thank you to all who responded to our recent survey – we take a snap shot of our patients seen during one calendar month.

We are delighted to say that in spite of many challenges, we have once again met our outcomes and the report has been submitted to the Health Department.

We hope you are surviving these infectious times. It was inevitable that Western Australia would succumb to Covid, so now it is our adult responsibility to protect ourselves as much as possible.

We realise that you all appreciate the nursing advice we give while on home visits so we are taking this opportunity to give some very good nursing advice here:

Yours, The Nurses

PLEASE WEAR YOUR MASKS WHEN OUTSIDE YOUR HOME. Many of you will have read the recent e–news where we outlined the risks of Long Covid in people with Parkinson’s as identified in overseas research.

From our Community - A poem by Roger Palmer Each weekday morning without fail, I trot outside to get my mail.

I stopped and with my postman spoke, A pleasant friendly cheerful bloke.

About his job I thought to ask.

You have I said, an important task.

Upon your motor bike you ride, Letters brought from far and wide.

But of late I am aware, There’s so much paper I despair.

It’s mainly all this election stuff.

I cry in anguish enough enough.

And bulky parcels bought on line.

There’s so much paper I despair.

Even some that are not mine.

So spare a thought for Postman Pat. That’s not his name I just call him that.

Roger Palmer

Parkinson’s ‘hacks’

Our team and staffing levels are also being affected by Covid and other nasty Winter viruses, so please understand if we have to postpone visits at short notice. It is in your best interests as your health is our main focus.

Parkinson’s WA is looking for input from our community to create a series of Parkinson’s ‘hacks’ to benefit people in Western Australia living with Parkinson’s. A ‘hack’ is a novel idea which could benefit others by sharing.

Dear Nurses, My partner, a farmer, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about two years ago and we are gradually coming to terms with living with the condition which is quite well-controlled by the medications prescribed by his specialist. In spite of this, I feel there are so many unanswered questions - I believe the cause of Parkinson’s is still unknown.

In our youth, my partner and I were involved in a serious motor vehicle accident which resulted in him having concussion. In addition to this, he played football for our country town and received several blows to the head. The concussion rules were not as stringent as they are presently.

My query is: Is it possible that the head trauma he received has played a part in his developing Parkinson’s?

Yours, Jack and Jill Farmer

If you have a ‘hack’, tip or trick that has helped you manage your Parkinson’s, and you would like to share with other people living with Parkinson’s, please reach out to us - we would love to hear from you!

You can send us an email at communications@parkinsonswa.org.au

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In the Community 3rd Party Fundraising * Curry Night Fundraiser for Parkinson’s - Sue Betteridge The Dandaragan Community Recreation Club (DCRC) provides the kitchen facilities free of charge every Friday night for use by sporting clubs or organisations to raise money for their respective clubs.

Recently, the Dandaragan annual fundraiser for Parkinson’s received overwhelming support with the cooking and serving of a range of delicious curries and accompaniments, plus Lemon Meringue Pie for dessert.

Despite being such a busy day with Dandaragan Primary School hosting the interschool cross country, many locals supported the cause by purchasing a meal and also raffle tickets. Proceeds from the meals, raffle and a number of generous donations helped to raise a total of $1700 for Parkinson’s. A tremendous Dandaragan Community display of generosity in the giving of material goods plus time and effort.

Dear Jill (and Jack), It is hard to believe that even in 2022 we do not have a firm cause of Parkinson’s and that it is still referred to as Idiopathic Parkinson’s. The theories of cause remain just that - theories. The most commonly supported theory is that it may be due to environmental factors and also impacted by genetic factors. Thank you for your question which is one we answer a lot when on a home visit.

There has long been the awareness of pugilistic Parkinsonism which is sometimes discussed in relation to boxers e.g. Muhammad Ali - although this is denied by the family.

Some studies looked at this theory in more recent times. In 2018, researchers looked at the records of more than 325,800 American veterans, half of whom had a variety of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) defined as: • •

Mild - a loss of consciousness (LOC) for less than thirty minutes and memory loss for less than 24 hours Moderate - severe - LOC for more than thirty minutes and memory loss for more than 24 hours.

At the beginning of the study, none of the veterans had a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. Within twelve years, 1,462 veterans were diagnosed with Parkinson’s and 949 of these had a TBI. This led the researchers to suggest that mild TBI increased the risk of Parkinson’s, however they point out that less than 1% of the veterans developed Parkinson’s.

Another study looked at twins, one of whom had previously sustained a head injury, and this indicated that the twin with a history of TBI was more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

* High Charitea’ The ladies at High Charitea’ have raised a significant amount for Parkinson’s WA. Thank you Annmarie Poole and the team who have put in so much effort to organise these fundraisers throughout the year. We are glad that everyone in the team enjoyed themselves, although it takes a lot of effort to coordinate so many events in a year. * Lions Club Bull Creek & Lions Club Narrogin Both clubs have been long-term supporters of Parkinson’s WA. We are very pleased to have the ongoing support from the members who have raised the money through various fundraisers. Please thank them on our behalf, it is very much appreciated.

Tax Appeal 2022

The Michael J Fox Foundation has clarified that studying the association between TBI and Parkinson’s is challenging because: • • • •

The type and amount of TBI relies on recollection and medical records at the time which may be inaccurate.

Documenting the life exposure may be difficult and inaccurate.

The definitions of TBI, concussions and a hit vary between studies.

It is impossible to know whether a person would have gone on to develop Parkinson’s without the head trauma.

So in summary, TBI and head trauma are associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s, but how they are connected is unclear – just as being exposed to pesticides and chemicals and living in rural areas also seem to indicate a heightened risk.

References: MJFF 2016 & 2018.

We have reached our goal of $80,000 for this Tax Appeal. Our sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed and more importantly to most of you for your ongoing support over the years.

All money raised goes directly towards supporting the Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist Service. We have only two appeals annually, the Tax Appeal and the Christmas Appeal. These appeals are an important source of income for us, so thank you again.

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Your Parkinson’s Nurse Specialists

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Creativity and Parkinson’s

Counsellor’s Column:

Counsellor: Caitlin Munro

Creativity can be in many forms:

Creativity and Parkinson’s THE RESEARCH Understanding creativity and its link to Parkinson’s has been the topic of numerous studies. The research has generally yielded mixed results, however several researchers have reported that some people have experienced a greater inclination to engage in creative activities since the onset of their Parkinson’s.

Some conclusions on the causes for this is that the dopaminergic medications used to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s are related to changes in creativity (Kulisevsky, Pagonabarraga, & Martinez-Corral, 2009).

Some researchers have observed that people with Parkinson’s can demonstrate “fluid sinuous movements” when producing paintings and drawings despite motor impairments.

CAUTION: Occasionally, engagement in creative pursuits can be experienced to a disruptive or impulsive level, sharing features with punding. If you notice this, discuss this with your health professionals.

IDEAS With this research in mind, there appears to be many benefits to exploring your own creativity.

Think outside the box on what your definition of “creative” might be. Try something new and find what you enjoy the process of, with less emphasis on the outcome or end result.

Lead researchers in the area of Parkinson’s and creativity have reported that people often feel “liberated” when they engage in creative pursuits which is good for mental wellbeing. Many participants report that engaging in creative endeavours (such as those listed below), can lead to improved mood, increased motivation, greater sense of purpose and meaning, and lower levels of depression and anxiety. Creative activities can also provide a healthy outlet for enthusiasm and energy.

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• • • • • • • • • • • •

Cooking Writing a story/ your life stories Writing a poem Dancing Acting Filming a movie Taking a photo Making something with wood/metal Sculpting Doing makeup/hair Planning an activity to do with someone, and Gardening .

As well as more stereotypical forms of creativity like: • • • • • • • • •

Art Craft Painting Drawing Making or listening to music Singing Editing and designing Knitting, crocheting, sewing, and Origami, paper arts.

When you think about it, there are so many ways that we can be creative. Take the pressure off yourself to be “good” at it and enjoy it.

References: Chatterjee, A., Hamilton, R. H., & Amorapanth, P. X. (2006). Art produced by a patient with Parkinson’s disease. Behavioural Neurology, 17(2), 105-108.

European Parkinson’s Disease Association (EPDA). Leisure, creativity and creative therapies. (n.d.). https://www.epda.eu.com/living-well/wellbeing/leisure-creativity-and-creativetherapies/ Faust-Socher, A., Kennett, Y. N., Cohen, O. S., Hassin-Baer, S., & Inzelberg, R. (2014).

Enhanced creative thinking under dopaminergic therapy in Parkinson disease. Annals of Neurology. 75(6) 935-942. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.24181 2021 PWA Newsletter I 10

Kulisevsky, J., Pagonabarraga, J., & Martinez-Corral, M. (2009). Changes in artistic style and behaviour in Parkinson’s disease: dopamine and creativity. Journal of Neurology, 256, 816-819. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-009-5001-1 2022 PWA Newsletter I 8

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