We recommend getting a multidisciplinary care team together as soon as possible.

Being diagnosed with Parkinson’s can be daunting, but knowing which allied health professionals, primary medical supports and services you need to manage your symptoms doesn’t have to be.

Building your personalised care team

Living with Parkinson’s involves managing a range of motor and non-motor symptoms that can affect various aspects of daily life. A multidisciplinary care team brings together specialists from different fields to provide comprehensive, individualised care, ensuring all your needs are addressed.

All people with Parkinson’s are different in how and when their symptoms present and may have quite variable trajectories in their symptoms’ progression. Early assessments by these specialists so they can create your individualised care plan with tailored early intervention strategies can benefit you in the long run (1).

Who’s on my care team?

Core PD team

Your core care team should include your General Practitioner, Movement Disorder Specialist/ neurologist/ geriatrician, and a Parkinson’s Nurse Specialist, plus allied health members below (1).

  • dietitian
  • exercise physiologist (EP)
  • mental health professional (e.g. psychiatrist, psychologist, wellbeing counsellor/ social worker)
  • occupational therapist (OT)
  • pharmacist
  • physiotherapist (PT)
  • speech pathologist (SP)

Multidisciplinary care team specialists can dramatically increase your wellbeing. Depending on what services are available to you and your needs, you could include a:

  • cardiologist
  • gastroenterologist
  • neurosurgeon
  • neuro-urologist
  • podiatrist

You can find out more about each profession below (n.b. alphabetical order):

Care Partners/ Friends /Family

Support from this group can help by going to appointments so it is not so overwhelming, as well as supporting you with the amount of information given to you by specialists. As someone who is on this journey with you, they may notice some changes or side effects and can share that information. You may also be stressed or ‘off’ at times, which may make recall and memory issues worse.

Dietitians

Dietitians can help you learn how diet and nutrition can improve your health and wellbeing.

Exercise physiologists

Exercise physiologists can help you with a tailored exercise program that takes account of your symptoms.

Gastroenterologists

A gastroenterologist can play a crucial role in managing gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms commonly experienced by people with Parkinson’s disease like constipation and gastroparesis. They may recommend dietary changes, medications, or other interventions to manage these issues effectively.

General Practitioners

General Practitioners are often your first port of call for any health concern. You may have been interacting with them for a while investigating seemingly unrelated symptoms. Not only can they prescribe medications, discuss side effects, help with chronic disease management and mental health plans, they can also help with any co-morbidities (i.e. pre-existing conditions like diabetes), monitoring bloods (e.g. vitamin and hormone levels) and refer you to a range of specialists as your symptoms require.

GPs can also refer you for a Home Medications Review (HMR). Your pharmacist will come to your home and check your prescribed medications and supplements for any interactions. They can discuss with you how and when to take them to get the best results.

Neurologists

Neurologists oversee your overall treatment plan and manage medications. They will assess you to confirm a clinical diagnosis and rule out other conditions. They will listen to your symptom history, evaluate you physically and prescribe medications to help alleviate your most bothersome problems. It is best to find one that you get along with and that has a special interest in treating Parkinson’s and other movement disorders.

Occupational therapists

Occupational Therapists commonly provides recommendations to improve daily living and promote independence. This includes advice on home safety, assistive technology and medical aids, cognitive assessments, suggestions for overall wellbeing, and time management tools.

Parkinson’s Nurse Specialists

They are familiar with your condition and can support you and your family as you navigate your diagnosis. They often offer education, symptom and medication reviews and give you practical advice between neurologist visits.

Pharmacists

Pharmacists will be providing your medications regularly. Make sure you speak to them about any co-morbidities, vitamins, or supplements you may be taking. Ask how you can get on the PBS medication threshold.

Physiotherapists

Physiotherapists can help you optimise your exercise routine based on the latest research, re-learn challenging tasks, and stay safe and independent in the home.

Some of the most common movement goals for people with Parkinson’s include learning about appropriate exercises even when mobility is impaired, improving walking, balance, or posture, advice for aerobic exercises, balance, and strength training, tips for cueing for freezing of gait or falls prevention, and improved upper limb function.

Speech pathologists

A speech pathologist can help with maintaining communication skills, voice, and swallowing. They suggest exercises to maintain volume and strength and give chewing and swallowing tips.

Podiatrists

A podiatrist assesses your foot’s skin and nail condition, checks circulation and nerves, and watches how you walk and move your feet to create a gait analysis. They then give you care tips or design orthotics for your shoes, whereas a physiotherapist can suggest exercises for foot-related issues.

Psychologist/Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist has trained as a medical doctor and can prescribe medication; whereas a psychologist is not a medical doctor and cannot prescribe medication. Both are trained to understand how your brain works, how you think and how you behave. Furthermore, they both can use different types of counselling and psychotherapy to help you.

Social worker

Social workers partner with people with Parkinson’s to address personal difficulties and structural barriers in their lives. They work with individuals, families, groups and communities.

Other supports to think about

  • Parkinson’s support groups, online or in person.
  • Advance care planning and financial counselling can be part of early discussions with social workers.
  • Neuro-ophthalmology for those experiencing eye issues.
  • Neuro-urologists for continence and sexual dysfunction issues.
  • Gastroenterologist for chronic constipation or gastroparesis.
  • Continence specialists for bladder and bowel issues.
  • Gynaecologists/obstetricians/ menopause specialist depending on your life stage.
  • Palliative care is a care approach that helps people live as fully and as comfortably as possible with a life-limiting illness like Parkinson’s.

Key Statistics

  • A multidisciplinary care team is essential for treating Parkinson’s disease. (1, 2)
  • It is essential that care partners are involved in patient care from the moment of diagnosis. (3)

How do I find professionals for my care team?

Peak body organisations in Australia “find a…” links

References

(1) Pirtošek, Z. Breaking barriers in Parkinson’s care: the multidisciplinary team approach. J Neural Transm 131, 1349–1361 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-024-02843-6

(2) Goldman, J. G., Volpe, D., Ellis, T. D., Hirsch, M. A., Johnson, J., Wood, J., Aragon, A., Biundo, R., Di Rocco, A., Kasman, G. S., Iansek, R., Miyasaki, J., McConvey, V. M., Munneke, M., Pinto, S., St Clair, K. A., Toledo, S., York, M. K., Todaro, R., Yarab, N., … Wallock, K. (2024). Delivering Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Care in Parkinson’s Disease: An International Consensus Statement. Journal of Parkinson’s disease, 14 (1), 135–166. https://doi.org/10.3233/JPD-230117

(3) Radder, D. L. M., Nonnekes, J., van Nimwegen, M., Eggers, C., Abbruzzese, G., Alves, G., Browner, N., Chaudhuri, K. R., Ebersbach, G., Ferreira, J. J., Fleisher, J. E., Fletcher, P., Frazzitta, G., Giladi, N., Guttman, M., Iansek, R., Khandhar, S., Klucken, J., Lafontaine, A. L., Marras, C., … Bloem, B. R. (2020). Recommendations for the Organization of Multidisciplinary Clinical Care Teams in Parkinson’s Disease. Journal of Parkinson’s disease, 10(3), 1087–1098. https://doi.org/10.3233/JPD-202078

van Halteren, A. D., Munneke, M., Smit, E., Thomas, S., Bloem, B. R., & Darweesh, S. K. L. (2020). Personalized Care Management for Persons with Parkinson’s Disease. Journal of Parkinson’s disease, 10(s1), S11–S20. https://doi.org/10.3233/JPD-202126

Weise, D., Claus, I., Dresel, C. et al. Multidisciplinary care in Parkinson’s disease. J Neural Transm 131, 1217–1227 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-024-02807-w

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Parkinson’s Australia National Conference

6-8 April 2025, National Convention Centre Canberra, ACT