This Thursday, April 11th, is International Parkinson's Disease Awareness Day. The Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) began an allusive program last Saturday (6), with the event “Much Além do Parkinson”, in Parque das Dunas, with the aim of raising awareness and providing information for the detection and treatment of the disease . Professionals highlight that therapies can contribute to a significant improvement in patients' quality of life and mental health, when diagnosed and treated early.
“This is a very significant month for all people living with Parkinson's Disease, so the entire multidisciplinary team at the Santos Dumont Institute, which works in this line of care, carries out actions in a much more intense way, because it is a month that represents all the battles of these people who live with the symptoms of the disease and the challenges that families face as the disease progresses”, explains ISD neuropsychologist preceptor, Joísa Araújo.
ISD neuroscientist, Hougelle Simplício, points out that Parkinson's disease has no cure and is progressive, which often leads patients to want to deny the diagnosis and treatment. However, access to therapies alleviates limitations and teaches patients how to deal with symptoms, promoting the improvement of motor skills and restoring autonomy at each stage of the disease.
“The treatment is very extensive and is personalized to each person’s needs. Some will need more rehabilitation and physiotherapy, others neuropsychological monitoring, others correct medication management and others, eventually, surgery. So the advantage of the integrated center is that each person can discover which therapy is best for each person”, he explains.
In addition to the event at Parque das Dunas, ISD patients, preceptors and researchers will be participating in activities that focus on the topic of Parkinson's in different spheres. This Thursday (11), the physiotherapist preceptor of ISD, Lorenna Santiago, and the occupational therapist preceptor of ISD, Fábio Galvão, participate in the discussion of a clinical case at the Multiprofessional League of Neurology at USP via videoconference.
On April 19th and 20th, the 1st Rio Grande do Norte Parkinson Symposium will take place, with the participation of neurologists Hougelle Simplício and Agábio Diógenes, and neuropsychologist, Joísa Araújo, ISD preceptors. Discussions range from early diagnosis to more advanced therapies, considering Parkinson's as a public health issue.
Special Edition of Educa Parkinson
ISD's Educa Parkinson project promotes monthly meetings between patients, doctors and researchers, to discuss topics of interest, exploring different approaches on how to deal with the disease on a daily basis, overcome challenges and overcome physical, psychological and social obstacles triggered by the disease progression.
On the 24th, a special edition will be held in which patients will be able to learn more about the transdisciplinary research related to Parkinson's that has been carried out or is still being developed at the Institute, with the participation of the neuroscientist researcher and manager of the International Institute of Neurosciences Edmond and Lily Safra (IIN-ELS), Edgard Morya.
Participants will also have the opportunity to visit the local research laboratories. The IIN-ELS makes up the ISD facilities in Macaíba, as well as Anita. The units offer multidisciplinary care for the treatment of Parkinson's through the Unified Health System to patients in Greater Natal.
About ISD
The Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) is a Social Organization linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC) and includes the Edmond and Lily Safra International Neuroscience Institute and the Anita Garibaldi Center for Health Education and Research, both in Macaíba. ISD's mission is to promote education for life, forming citizens through integrated teaching, research and extension actions, in addition to contributing to a fairer and more humane transformation of Brazilian social reality.
