Covid-19 Updates

Parkinson’s Care and Support UK continue to monitor the development of the COVID-19/ Coronavirus situation and in particular how this is impacting people with Parkinson’s. This area was last updated on 5^thApril 2020.

What should I be doing?

1. Stay at home

• Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
• If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times
• Wash your hands as soon as you get home
• Do not meet others, even friends or family.
• You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.

The government are advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.

This group includes those who are:

• aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)

under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):

– chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis

– chronic heart disease, such as heart failure

– chronic kidney disease

– chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis

– chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy

– diabetes

– problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed

– a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy

– being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above)

• those who are pregnant

Social Distancing and People with Parkinson’s

Social distancing measures are steps you can take to reduce social interaction between people. This will help reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

They are to:

1. Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough
2. Avoid non-essential use of public transport when possible
3. Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. Please refer to employer guidance for more information
4. Avoid large and small gatherings in public spaces, noting that pubs, restaurants, leisure centres and similar venues are currently shut as infections spread easily in closed spaces where people gather together.
5. Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media
6. Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services

Everyone should be trying to follow these measures as much as is practicable.

The government strongly advise you to follow the above measures as much as you can and to significantly limit your face-to-face interaction with friends and family if possible, particularly if you:

• are over 70
• have an underlying health condition such as Parkinson’s Disease
• are pregnant

This advice is likely to be in place for some weeks.

We know that the social distancing restrictions have been putting a huge strain on our ability to keep socially and physically active and we are especially mindful as to how difficult people Parkinson’s are finding this. Our main concern at this difficult time is to keep people with Parkinson’s as healthy and active as much as possible. When we refer to health, we mean both physical and mental.

We have cancelled all our venue- based exercise classes and face to face events up until end of June and been developing new and creative ways to connect the Parkinson’s community.

2. Protect Extremely Vulnerable People- shielding

Shielding is a measure to protect people who are clinically extremely vulnerable by minimising all interaction between those who are extremely vulnerable and others. The governmentare strongly advising people with serious underlying health conditions (listed below), which put them at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19), to rigorously follow shielding measures in order to keep themselves safe.

NB: Please be aware that having Parkinson’s alone does not categorise you as being ‘extremely vulnerable’. Please see the government’s definition on this category:

As per government guidance, people falling into this extremely vulnerable group include:

1. Solid organ transplant recipients.
2. People with specific cancers:

– people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy

– people with lung cancer who are undergoing radical radiotherapy

– people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment

– people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer

– people having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors

– people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs

1. People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD.
2. People with rare diseases and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell).
3. People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection.
4. Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired.

Shielding is for your personal protection. It is your choice to decide whether to follow the measures the governmentadvise. Individuals who have been given a prognosis of less than 6 months to live, and some others in special circumstances, could decide not to undertake shielding. This will be a deeply personal decision. In such cases, the governmentadvisescalling your GP or specialist to discuss this.

The NHS in England is directly contacting people with these conditions to provide further advice.

If you think you fall into one of the categories of extremely vulnerable people listed above and you have not received a letter by Sunday 29 March 2020 or been contacted by your GP, you should discuss your concerns with your GP or hospital clinician.

We understand this is an anxious time and people considered extremely vulnerable will understandably have questions and concerns.

For more information on extreme vulnerability and shielding, visit the gov.uk

3. Take care of yourself. This means:

• Following the social distancing guidelines recommended by the government
• Wearing a protective mask and gloves if you have to leave the house for food or prescription. If everyone wore a mask and gloves, transmission rate would be significantly reduced.
• Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and pulses daily. Eating certain foods can improve your health and strengthen your body’s ability to fight invasive viruses. Red bell peppers, broccoli, chick peas, garlic, mushrooms, strawberries and sunflower seeds are some of our favourites. Take part in our 7-Day Gut Cleanse Challenge to help you to cleanse and boost your gut health with our breakfast, lunch and dinner menus parkinsonscare.org.uk/awarenessweek
• Remember to stay hydrated- drinking 2 litres of water daily, which includes herbal teas
• Keep your immune in top shape by taking Vitamin C, Zinc, Vitamin D, B6 and E supplements
• Create a daily routine at home to keep yourself busy and from risking low mood episodes. Maybe it’s time to sort through those drawers you have been putting off, decorate a room or do some gardening
• Keep moving, exercise as best as you can. Exercise can help you to maintain a healthy immune system. Please like our Facebook page at facebook.com/ParkinsonsCSUK where you can join our Exercise Hub and access our class videos including Tai Chi, Qigong, Chair-based Yoga, Multimodal and Move and Shout.
• Make sure you stay connected- speak to friends and family on the phone, set up video conferencing with one or more people and take time away from the news and social media. Negativity can result in heightened anxiety and even depression. Switch off and focus on you.
• It is very important that people try to keep as calm as possible and not to overly panic. We understand naturally that levels of anxiety are raised at this time. However, we must also consider how such panic affects people with Parkinson’s. Up to 50% of people with Parkinson’s are likely to suffer from anxiety at some point during their illness and this can have severe effects on Parkinson’s motor and non-motor symptoms
• If you find yourself feeling overly anxious or depressed, see our guidelines on how to deal with this. https://parkinsonscare.org.uk/anxiety-and-depression

Our Exercise Classes- Parkinson’s Exercise Hub

In following government guidelines on social distancing, we have stopped all of our face to face exercise classes and have replaced these with online classes.

To access our exercise services, please like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ParkinsonsCSUK where you can join our Exercise Hub and access our class videos including Tai Chi, Qigong, Chair-based Yoga, Multimodal and Move and Shout.

Why don’t you take this opportunity to join our 2.5 Challenge LIVE on ZOOM at 11.30 am daily between 5th-9^th of April as part of Parkinson’s Awareness Week. You will be able to take part in 30 minutes of high intensity exercise over 5 days with one of our instructors. You will need to register to participate at: https://zoom.us/…/regist…/vpErcuiupzkjl4Xs-Fb0WdIdMHtj2sJ0Eg

Home-based Neurological Physiotherapy

Most of our Home-based neurological physiotherapy has ceased, however, where patients are classed as at high risk or vulnerable, assessments will take place to determine whether the therapy is essential and should be continuing. This will be done on a case by case basis. Physiotherapy sessions will not take place if the assessment reveals that:

• The service user is symptomatic of Coronavirus
• Anyone who lives in the same house as the service user is symptomatic of Coronavirus
• The service user has been in contact with anyone with Coronavirus within the last two weeks
• The service user has come back from holiday from a country which has the virus within the past two weeks. Please see the government’s latest travel advice on Coronavirus here

Please be rest assured that physiotherapists will not be carrying out any services if they have any symptoms of Coronavirus, been into contact with anyone with the virus or have come back from holiday from a country which has the virus within the past two weeks. All physiotherapists will use personal protective equipment.

Respite Care for Carers

Respite care for family carers is an essential service and will continue to take place. However, carers will now conduct a pre-assessment via telephone to EVERY PATIENT before attending their home. Respite Care will not take place if the assessment reveals that:

• The service user is symptomatic of Coronavirus
• Anyone who lives in the same house as the service user is symptomatic of Coronavirus
• The service user has been in contact with anyone with Coronavirus within the last two weeks
• The service user has come back from holiday from a country which has the virus within the past two weeks. Please see the government’s latest travel advice on Coronavirus here

Please be rest assured that carers will not be carrying out any services if they have any symptoms of Coronavirus, been into contact with anyone with the virus or have come back from holiday from a country which has the virus within the past two weeks. All carers will use personal protective equipment.

Excursions and Socials Events

These have been postponed until further notice

Your Immune System

We advise that you look after your health and in particular your immune system during this time. Parkinson’s Care and Support UK recommends that:

• You are consuming a wide range of vitamin rich and immune boosting foods including: Broccoli, Sweet potatoes, oily fish Blueberries, Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic, Spinach, Watermelon, pomegranate and oranges.
• You drink less alcohol, drink plenty of water, avoid tobacco smoke, get enough sleep and minimise stress and anxiety. If you are suffering from anxiety, read here for more information.
• You take a daily probiotic such as VSL3 if possible, give yourself an extra boost with Vitamin C, B6, E and D supplements and also make sure you are consuming enough iron, selenium and zinc.
• Drink a daily concoction of grated fresh ginger, turmeric power, grated garlic, black pepper and honey. Consume this as a hot tea. Your immune system will thank you!
• Keep up with your exercise regime

The latest coronavirus public health information and advice can be found here

We would like to update you of the plans we have in place to offer our services with minimal disruption. Parkinson’s Care and Support UK’s approach is to balance minimising risk to our service users and staff along with ensuring that service users are not left abandoned nor that quality of life starts to diminish.

It is very important that people try to keep as calm as possible and not to overly panic. We understand naturally that levels of anxiety are raised at this time. However, we must also consider how such panic affects people with Parkinson’s. Up to 50% of people with Parkinson’s are likely to suffer from anxiety at some point during their illness and this can have severe effects on Parkinson’s motor and non-motor symptoms.

Parkinson’s Exercise Classes

Parkinson’s Care and Support UK are carefully following the development of the COVID-19/ Coronavirus situation daily and are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our staff, service users and the wider community. We are monitoring the advice from Public Health England and the announcement on Thursday 12 March after the Cobra meeting means that we will continue to run our Parkinson’s Specialist Exercise Classes. We are also in daily communication with the venues about the situation and are working closely with each other in terms of local knowledge and developments. This may yet change and, of course, we will stay closely in touch as things progress.

For the safety of the people with Parkinson’s, staff and the wider community, please DO NOT attend any exercise class if you are showing signs of being unwell. This includes a high temperature and/ a new or persistent cough. You MUST follow government advice and stay at home for 7 DAYS.

All people over the age of 70 and those with certain health conditions have been classed as vulnerable. This includes people who have a weaker immune system and long- term chronic conditions such as Heart Disease, Lung Disease, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and Cancer. It is the government’s plan “within the coming weeks” for people over 70 to stay at home for an extended period to protect themselves from Coronavirus. This plan has not yet been put into place. We are making plans for our Parkinson’s Exercise Classes to be uploaded online so that people who are unable to attend class can still carry out their physical activity programme safely at home. As an extra precautionary method, it is recommended that anyone over the age of 70 drives to and from the exercise class or is dropped by vehicle, if possible.

We may delay the starting of any new class across the UK that has been planned to commence within the next 4 weeks.

 

Home-based Neurological Physiotherapy

Home-based neurological physiotherapy will continue to take place. However, physiotherapists will now conduct a pre-assessment via telephone to EVERY PATIENT before attending their home. Physiotherapy sessions will not take place if the assessment reveals that:

• The service user is symptomatic of Coronavirus
• Anyone who lives in the same house as the service user is symptomatic of Coronavirus
• The service user has been in contact with anyone with Coronavirus within the last two weeks
• The service user has come back from holiday from a country which has the virus within the past two weeks. Please see the government’s latest travel advice on Coronavirus here

Please be rest assured that physiotherapists will not be carrying out any services if they have any symptoms of Coronavirus, been into contact with anyone with the virus or have come back from holiday from a country which has the virus within the past two weeks.

 

Respite Care for Carers

Respite care for family carers will continue to take place. However, carers will now conduct a pre-assessment via telephone to EVERY PATIENT before attending their home. Respite Care will not take place if the assessment reveals that:

• The service user is symptomatic of Coronavirus
• Anyone who lives in the same house as the service user is symptomatic of Coronavirus
• The service user has been in contact with anyone with Coronavirus within the last two weeks
• The service user has come back from holiday from a country which has the virus within the past two weeks. Please see the government’s latest travel advice on Coronavirus here

Please be rest assured that carers will not be carrying out any services if they have any symptoms of Coronavirus, been into contact with anyone with the virus or have come back from holiday from a country which has the virus within the past two weeks.

Excursions and Socials Events

These have been postponed until further notice

 

General Care

We advise that you look after your health and in particular your immune system during this time. Parkinson’s Care and Support UK recommends that:

• You are consuming a wide range of vitamin rich and immune boosting foods including: Broccoli, Sweet potatoes, oily fish Blueberries, Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic, Spinach, Watermelon, pomegranate and oranges.
• You drink less alcohol, drink plenty of water, avoid tobacco smoke, get enough sleep and minimise stress and anxiety. If you are suffering from anxiety, read here for more information.
• You take a daily probiotic such as VSL3 if possible, give yourself an extra boost with Vitamin C, B6, E and D supplements and also make sure you are consuming enough iron, selenium and zinc.
• Drink a daily concoction of grated fresh ginger, turmeric power, grated garlic, black pepper and honey. Consume this as a hot tea. Your immune system will thank you!
• Keep up with your exercise regime

The latest coronavirus public health information and advice can be found here