Tips

Listed below are some tips for good communication that have been recommended by doctors and other medical professionals who work with people who have Parkinson’s disease (PD).

• Prepare for your doctor’s appointment – make a list of any points that you wish to discuss, and take this with you. Make the questions as specific as possible.
• You might find it helpful to make a regular diary (daily, weekly or monthly) to record how you have been coping with your symptoms. Read this before going to your appointment, and note down anything you want to mention.
• If there is a lot you need to discuss with the doctor, then make this clear when you book your appointment. You might be given a longer appointment, or be asked if you wish to talk with another professional such as a specialist nurse.
• You may find it helpful to take someone with you when you visit the doctor – for moral support, or for help with communicating. However, on some occasions, it may be more appropriate to speak to the doctor on a one-to-one basis.
• If you have prepared a list of medications (a medication record card), then take this to your appointment. It can save time and long explanations.
• Make sure that you are honest about your symptoms. Making symptoms seem better or worse than they are will give the doctor a false idea of how the treatment is working.
• Don’t feel obliged to use medical words with the doctor when describing symptoms – use language that you are comfortable with to give simple, accurate descriptions.
• If you don’t understand what the doctor says, then say so. Ask if it can be explained again or in another way. It is very important that you understand.
• Write down, or ask the doctor to write down, anything important if you feel it will help you remember.
• If there is any issue that you feel unable to discuss with your doctor, then you can contact another member of the multidisciplinary team, your local PD association, or support group.