Words of wisdom for living well with Parkinson’s disease

Apr 27, 2026

Find joy in every day, and other helpful advice

Written by Christine Scheer | April 24, 2026

On Monday nights, I am always busy on my computer — often working on this column and sending out reminder emails to my Tuesday walking group.

I started this group about three years ago, a couple years after I’d had deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease. These emails provide basic information about the event: We usually walk for 30 minutes, then sit down, have a coffee, and talk for another 30. Over the past few months, I’ve introduced a different topic each week for us to discuss.

The reason for choosing a topic is that most of us in the group have Parkinson’s disease, so we have quiet voices and some of us speak slowly. In the past, it’s sometimes been difficult for us to join a conversation because we can’t speak loudly or quickly enough. It can be frustrating. With a specific topic to discuss, we can go around the table, taking turns speaking and listening to what everyone has to say.

The topics have included our favorite exercises, helpful hints for managing Parkinson’s symptoms, our sense of smell, travel advice, the use of walking poles, and whether or not we have more energy on a sunny day. With everyone sharing their perspective, the conversations have become more inclusive.

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Adaptive hobbies for Parkinson’s: Keep doing what you love

Apr 24, 2026

Written by Roslyn Marano | Last updated April 10, 2026

Parkinson’s disease doesn’t mean you have to give up the activities you enjoy. With the right strategies, recreation ideas, and accessibility tools, many hobbies can be adjusted to better fit your needs as symptoms change over time.

Adaptive hobbies for Parkinson’s focus on flexibility and finding what works for you. From fine motor skills activities to social activities for Parkinson’s, there are still ways to keep doing what you love while supporting your physical and emotional well-being.

Adaptive gardening: Tools and tips

Gardening can remain a relaxing and meaningful part of your routine with a few simple changes. Using adaptive gardening tools for Parkinson’s can make tasks easier to manage, especially if you experience hand tremors.

Helpful adjustments may include:

  • choosing tools that are easier to grip
  • working with raised garden beds
  • using a stool or bench to support Parkinson’s energy conservation

Arts and crafts with hand tremors

Creative hobbies can be a great way to relax and express yourself. If you’re figuring out how to paint or craft with tremors, a few adjustments can help you feel more comfortable and confident.

Helpful strategies may include:

  • using weighted pens for Parkinson’s or other easy-to-hold tools
  • resting your arms on a table or a steady surface
  • choosing larger materials or more flexible mediums
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Rethinking Parkinson’s: A Disorder of Brain Networks Rather than Movement

Apr 23, 2026

By Simon Spichak, MSc Published On: April 22, 2026 "Originally published on Being Patient, an editorially independent news site covering the latest research on Alzheimer’s disease and brain health.”

Parkinson’s disease (PD) begins deep in the brain as dopamine-producing neurons progressively die off. 

The brain regions where these cells die have been viewed as silos, with the main symptoms affecting more than one million Americans — tremors, slow movements, muscle rigidity and postural problems — attributed to degeneration of these areas. 

A recent study published in Nature zooms out to focus on how these networks of neurons interact within a single coordinated network of firing neurons. 

The network, called the somato-cognitive action network (SCAN), helps plan and coordinate actions and movements, and may provide a better explanation for what goes wrong in Parkinson’s. This may also help account for other symptoms like pain, apathy and problems with blood pressure regulation.

“The idea grew out of a simple observation: Parkinson’s disease affects far more than isolated movements,” study author Hesheng Liu, a brain scientist at Changping Laboratory and Peking University in Beijing, told Being Patient. “Patients do not merely lose control of specific muscles — they lose the smooth integration of thought and action across the whole body.”

Modulating how cells fire in this brain network also provides a novel target for treating Parkinson’s, though more trials and studies are needed before these findings make their way into the neurologist’s office. 

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How to explain Parkinson’s to family and friends

Apr 22, 2026

Written by Agata Boxe | Last updated April 21, 2026

Fact-checked by Inês Martins, PhD

Explaining Parkinson’s disease to family and friends can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re still processing what the diagnosis means for you.

While Parkinson’s is generally known for visible symptoms such as tremors and stiffness, it can also bring less obvious challenges, including fatigue and cognitive changes.

Communicating about the condition with clarity and confidence can help to prevent misunderstandings and strengthen your support system.

Key points to share about Parkinson’s

Knowing what to share about Parkinson’s can help others understand your experience and find ways to support you. You want to provide enough detail without overwhelming your audience with too much information.

You can start by explaining that Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that primarily affects movement due to a loss of certain cells in the brain. This can lead to symptoms such as:

  • tremors

  • stiffness

  • slowness of movement

  • balance issues

  • freezing of gait

However, you may also want to highlight that many Parkinson’s symptoms are not immediately apparent. The condition often also involves nonmotor symptoms, such as:

  • fatigue

  • emotional and mood changes

  • cognitive changes

  • hallucinations and delusions

  • sleep problems

Another key point is that Parkinson’s affects people differently, so your symptoms and progression may not match someone else’s.

Additionally, consider sharing that symptoms can fluctuate, and some days may be more challenging than others. In fact, the severity and types of symptoms can vary within the same day.

Your friends and family may also want to know that there is currently no cure for the disease, but there are treatments that can help to manage symptoms and support quality of life.

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AAN 2026: Crexont linked to more on time in new Parkinson’s study

Apr 21, 2026

Trial shows longer symptom control and fewer daily fluctuations

Written by Marisa Wexler, MS | April 20, 2026

  • Crexont is an extended-release formulation of levodopa and carbidopa used to treat Parkinson’s symptoms.

  • Switching to Crexont was linked to more good on time and less off time, as well as fewer motor fluctuations.

  • Interim study results suggest switching therapies may improve daily symptom control in Parkinson’s patients.

People with Parkinson’s disease who switch from other formulations of levodopa to Crexont may experience improvements in daily symptom control, according to new data from an ongoing clinical trial.

“Crexont substantially increased [good on] time, reduced [off time], and improved motor function in [Parkinson’s] patients across all therapy groups, confirming that switching patients from other levodopa-based therapies to Crexont offers meaningful improvements in symptom control through the day,” the researchers wrote.

Findings presented at AAN highlight therapy switch

A team including scientists at Amneal Pharmaceuticals, the company that sells Crexont, presented the findings at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting, in a poster titled, “Switching to CREXONT Substantially Improves ‘Good On’ Time and Reduces Motor Fluctuations in Parkinson’s Disease: Interim Results from the Real-world ELEVATE-PD Phase Four Study.”

Parkinson’s is a neurological disease marked by the loss of brain cells that make a key signaling molecule called dopamine. Low dopamine levels disrupt normal brain signaling, ultimately leading to Parkinson’s symptoms.

Levodopa is a mainstay treatment for Parkinson’s that works by giving the brain more of the raw material it needs to make dopamine. It is often given in combination with other medications that help more levodopa reach the brain, such as carbidopa or COMT (catechol-o-methyl transferase) inhibitors.

Although levodopa can be effective for easing Parkinson’s symptoms, it may become less effective over time. This can lead to what is called off time, when symptoms aren’t well controlled between scheduled doses. Long-term use can also lead to dyskinesia, a side effect marked by uncontrolled, jerking movements.

Crexont is an extended-release formulation of levodopa and carbidopa designed to help maintain steady levels of the medication in the body, improve absorption, and extend its effects, which may allow for fewer daily doses. The therapy was approved in the U.S. in 2024.

Phase 4 study examines real-world use of Crexont

An ongoing, open-label Phase 4 clinical trial called ELEVATE-PD is evaluating the safety and efficacy of Crexont in people with Parkinson’s who switch to this new formulation from other levodopa-based therapies. At the AAN meeting, researchers presented interim data from the first 111 participants in the study.

Prior to entering ELEVATE-PD, most patients had been taking instant-release formulations of levodopa plus carbidopa. The study also included some patients taking levodopa plus COMT inhibitors, as well as those taking Rytary, another approved extended-release formulation of carbidopa and levodopa, sold by Amneal.

Upon entering the study, participants undergo a five-week period during which Crexont doses are adjusted, then receive treatment with the optimal dose for about a year.

The interim analyses indicated that patients switching to Crexont tended to experience a substantial increase in daily good on time, meaning periods when symptoms are well-controlled without problematic dyskinesia.

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