VA and Parkinson’s Foundation Partner to Help Veterans Living with Parkinson’s Disease
MIAMI & NEW YORK (May 12, 2020) — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Parkinson’s Foundation announced today they are teaming up to improve the health, well-being and quality of life of veterans living with Parkinson’s disease.
“This collaboration ensures veterans diagnosed with Parkinson’s have access to the information and resources they need to better manage their health,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “The joint effort enhances the multitude of services that care teams at the Veterans Health Administration provide to Veterans with Parkinson’s disease.”
“VA and the Foundation are working to increase access to information about Parkinson’s disease,” said John L. Lehr, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Parkinson's Foundation. “Educating and training VA staff on disease management and therapies, along with improving veterans’ access to direct health services related to the disease is a paramount objective.”
These efforts help to provide veterans with needed resources and tools for coping with Parkinson's. The Foundation also offers online resources for individuals and their caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic, to include Facebook Live Q&A events with subject matter experts.
Learn more about how the Parkinson's Foundation improves care and advances research toward a cure.
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About the Parkinson’s Foundation
The Parkinson’s Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience and passion of our global Parkinson’s community. Since 1957, the Parkinson’s Foundation has invested more than $400 million in Parkinson’s research and clinical care. Connect with us on Parkinson.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or call (800) 4PD-INFO (473-4636).
About Parkinson’s Disease
Affecting an estimated one million Americans and 10 million worldwide, Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the U.S. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson’s and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S. alone.