CARE HOME RESIDENTS MARK PARKINSON’S AWARENESS WEEK

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Woodhorn Park care home in Ashington marked Parkinson’s Awareness Week which runs from April 7th to 13th.

James Parkinson was a neurologist, geologist, scientist and activist who was born on 11 April 1755, he died on 21 December 1824. Parkinson’s Awareness Week is a global call to action to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease and promote a greater understanding of the condition and how it can affect a person.

The staff and residents spent time learning about how Parkinson’s disease can affect different parts of the brain and the body causing involuntary movements or rigidity in muscles which can then ‘freeze up’ and not work. Residents and staff also learned about the possible psychological impact of the medication used to treat disease which can cause compulsive behaviours and depression in some people. It can also be linked to a reduced sense of smell, impaired vision and attention deficit disorder. As well as this we ran a bake sale to raise money for Parkinson’s UK and we managed to raise £120.

General Manager, Emma Saunders said “It was lovely to see how our team take together and worked hard baking treats and promoting our bake sale as Parkinson’s affects a lot of older people and some of our residents are living with the disease so it was important for us to mark the week. We have all learned a great deal about the effects of Parkinson’s and have a greater understanding of how varied and unpredictable the symptoms can be so by being able to raise money it ensures every little helps.”

Woodhorn Park Care Home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Woodhorn Park provides residential care and respite care

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