Senior Spotlight: April Is Parkinson’s Awareness Month

April is here and you know what that means… new health awareness topics have come to light! This is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and while we often hear that most diseases do not care what age you are – Parkinson’s disease (PD) has a clear pattern. The risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) increases with age, typically starting around age 50 or older. The average age of onset is 70-years old. Given the age-related nature of this disease, we felt this was a key topic to cover for our first Senior Spotlight in April. 

How Common Is PD? 

- The primary risk factor for PD is age.

- Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson's disease (PD). This number is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030. 

- Parkinson's is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease.

- Nearly 90,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with PD each year.

- PD incidence estimates increase with age in the 65+ range.

- The increase in the incidence of PD aligns with the growth of an aging population.

- More than 10 million people worldwide are living with PD.

- The incidence of PD increases with age, but an estimated four percent of people with PD are diagnosed before age 50.

- Men are 1.5 times more likely to have Parkinson's disease than women.

One of the key aspects of supporting those with PD is to know the signs in the first place. Below is a helpful infographic from the Parkinson’s Foundation summarizing the ’10 Early Signs of Parkinson’s’. 

If you know someone with PD, want to learn more about disease management, treatment and/or research, please visit this key resource page from the Parkinson’s Foundation. Other helpful information can be found at the Mayo Clinic, the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the National Institute on Aging.

As always with any health-related concerns, please be sure to speak to your primary care provider and health care team about any symptoms you are experiencing, any questions you have and any risk factors to be aware of.

Wishing you an April that is healthy & happy,

Bobbi 

Bobbi Decker
DRE#00607999

Broker Associate
650.346.5352 cell
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www.bobbidecker.com

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