Caritas forms Parkinson's Disease support group

Caritas Malta has set up a support group for people with Parkinson's Disease and their carers. The group will provide a forum where information can be shared and experiences exchanged. Carers could also be helped to understand better the effects and progression of Parkinson's Disease and the efficacy of administered medication.

Caritas director Victor Grech has been very much encouraged by the public response to the launch meeting as it was very well-attended. This group is an addition to the varied support groups already active within Caritas Malta.

During the meeting last Saturday, Dr Peter Ferry, a medical specialist in geriatrics and general internal medicine, spoke about the importance for carers to give their own feedback to the specialist about the patient's progress. Dr Ferry also gave an insight into the variations of the symptoms that can manifest the disease, how available medications worked, and their effects on patients. Research, he added, is being made to determine the causes of the disease and to find new and better treatments for it.

The support group will benefit from the wide experience of Anne Downing who has set up and chaired similar support groups in the UK. She is now keen to set up this support group in Malta.

The group's first meeting will be held at the Caritas offices in Floriana on February 9 at 10 a.m.