REHABILITATION AND SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON’S IN UDAIPUR, RAJASTHAN
The Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Society (PDMDS) is an All India Charitable Society established in 2001. It is committed to improving the lives of people living with Parkinson’s and their caregivers through their multidisciplinary model of care which has a network of over 60 Parkinson’s Support Centers across India.
It offers various interventions such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Counselling and Cognitive Interventions, Dance and Movement Therapy, Life Skills Training and Caregiver interventions free of cost to the patients and their caregivers. Medications and assistive aids are also provided free of cost to those who are underprivileged. There are an estimated 1 million people living with Parkinson’s in India but awareness is still very low. The PDMDS endeavors to reach the unreached population living in urban slums, small towns, rural and tribal areas through their public awareness programs, health surveys and medical camps.
The PDMDS Support Center located in Udaipur, Rajasthan was initiated in 2018. Since then it has reached out to more than 140 people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers providing them with information, therapy and support. Awareness programs on Parkinson’s, Stroke, Dementia and healthy ageing have been conducted for 4915 people in Udaipur.
In 2020, Swastik Tins Pvt. Ltd. supported the PDMDS Parkinson’s Support Center in Udaipur through their CSR, to enable the continuity and further expansion of the activities of this center. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the PDMDS has transferred all its multidisciplinary and support services online. Currently the PDMDS Support Center in Udaipur offers weekly online multidisciplinary group therapy, Individual phone counselling, personal phone call for those not able to access online services and monthly special caregiver sessions through zoom video conference. The feedback from PwPs and their families have been very positive. They were very thankful for the continued support and services during these difficult times. The PDMDS continues its mission to raise awareness and reach out to people with Parkinson’s in Udaipur through its webinars on Parkinson’s and its online awareness programs for allied health students and the general public.
