Giving Compass' Take:

• Michael Okun explains advances in Parkinson's treatment options and what needs to be done to get patients the personalized help that they require. 

• How can funders work to increase access to doctors trained in Parkinson's treatment?

• Learn how donors can make an impact on Parkinson's disease.  

For many, hearing the word “Parkinson’s” conjures an image of tremors. But Parkinson’s disease, brought about by loss of nerve and other brain cells, is actually an incredibly complex movement disorder that can cause symptoms as wide-ranging as smell loss, thinking issues, depression and swallowing problems. More than 1.5 million people in the U.S. have the illness, and millions more loved ones and caregivers are affected by it, too.

Actor Alan Alda announced July 31 that he is one of those. Alda has been living with Parkinson’s for more than a year. He stressed in his announcement that he has been living a full and happy life.

He is not alone. Thanks to medical advances and better treatments, both patients and physicians understand that Parkinson’s is a livable disease, and that people with this condition can be happy, healthy and successful.

And yet, there is a critical shortage of doctors trained specifically in how to treat Parkinson’s disease. Only 40 to 50 new Parkinson’s specialists – neurologists with fellowship training in the disease – go into practice each year across this country.

Based on studies that show that people are living longer with Parkinson’s, one of the first messages we need to impart is that life is most certainly not over. A second important message is that new medications can and do make a difference.

These findings underscore the necessity of having doctors trained in Parkinson’s.

Many patients in my practice improve with exercise therapy and several have used acting techniques to improve the masking of the face and the movement features. It is likely that Alan Alda’s acting and improv program for autistic children will also benefit Parkinson’s.

We now know, for example, that in the early phase of Parkinson’s, specific exercises can be just as important, if not more important in some patients, than medications. Understanding the options and windows of opportunity can be the difference between success and failure.

We also now know that the timing of medications is critical and in many cases needs to be exactly aligned to particular hours of the day. In addition, some patients see benefits by changing drug dose, adjusting medication intervals and possibly the addition of one of many other drugs.

Read the full article about Parkinson's treatment by Michael Okun at The Conversation.