Making the daily lives of people living with Parkinson's Disease lighter and more functional through a virtual conversation circle is the central objective of Educa Parkinson, project created by the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) in 2018 to discuss the disease with the population. The second edition of the project, which this year will be held virtually due to the pandemic, has already been scheduled for June 21st and registrations are open to discuss Integrative and Complementary Practices (PICS), a set of alternative treatments, such as aromatherapy, yoga, music therapy and meditation. 

Click here to access the registration form.

“These practices promote a global culture of care, in the sense of an expanded vision of health. Furthermore, many of them, such as aromatherapy, can be easily used at home as long as there is professional guidance and can assist in the therapeutic process of people with Parkinson's, promoting a sense of well-being,” explains multidisciplinary psychologist preceptor Miliana Galvão, one of the preceptors leading a project.  

Theme

According to Miliana, the theme was chosen at the request of participants in the first virtual edition of Educa Parkinson, which took place in April and addressed the neuroarchitecture and small changes that can improve the home environment for Parkinson's patients. “In the first edition, one of the tips that really interested the participants, who were mostly people living with Parkinson's, was related to aromatherapy, and it was something they showed interest in, so we decided to bring this and other integrative practices as the theme of the edition”, he said.  

Integrative and Complementary Practices

The Ministry of Health defines Integrative and Complementary Practices (PICS) as treatments that use therapeutic resources based on traditional knowledge. Currently, the Unified Health System (SUS) offers 29 Integrative and Complementary Practices (PICS) procedures to the population, free of charge and comprehensively. Care begins in Primary Care, the main gateway to the SUS. 

In addition to aromatherapy, treatments such as acupuncture, art therapy and circular dance are also on the list. These practices, like traditional medicine, seek to improve the quality of life of users. 

“These treatments aim to strengthen patients’ autonomy, which is very important for people with Parkinson’s, as their body movements are affected. In addition, integrative practices strengthen the view that health goes far beyond the physical and focuses care on each person and their therapeutic process,” explained multidisciplinary neuropsychologist preceptor Joisa Araújo.  

Guests

The second virtual edition of Educa Parkinson will feature the participation of Nathália Diniz, physiotherapist and specialist in public health from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) who works at the Laboratory of Integrative and Complementary Practices (LAPICS/UFRN), and Nicole Passos, naturotherapist, nurse and researcher at LAPICS/UFRN. 

Registrations

People diagnosed with Parkinson's, family members, caregivers, health professionals, researchers, students and anyone else interested in the topic, from anywhere in Brazil or the world, can participate in Educa Parkinson. Click here to access the registration form. Registration is free and the link to access the meeting will be sent later to the email or WhatsApp number that was registered.

Project 

Educa Parkinson's meetings were held at Anita and as they gathered dozens of people, they ended up suspended in 2020 as a prevention of Covid-19. 

The topics under discussion revolved around how to manage Parkinson’s and improve quality of life. In light of the needs identified during the pandemic, the team at the Institute’s Parkinson’s clinic revamped the project to address current needs and challenges.

Parkinson's 

Parkinson's disease is considered the second most common progressive neurodegenerative disease in the world, second only to Alzheimer's, according to the Ministry of Health. 

It affects body movements and can include, for example, slow movements, tremors, muscle stiffness, imbalance and speech changes. The disease can also cause decreased sense of smell, constipation, neurogenic bladder, cognitive changes and depression. According to the World Health Organization, 11% of the population over 65 years of age has the disease and the onset of motor symptoms usually occurs around the age of 60.