The Hospital Research Foundation Group supports people living with Parkinson’s from their initial diagnosis right to advanced stages of the disease.
Parkinson’s symptoms may include muscle rigidity, tremor, postural instability and bradykinesia (slowness of movement); and non-motor symptoms include pain, sensory changes, changes in the gastrointestinal system, depression and problems with memory, thinking and sleep.
Together with our charity The Hospital Research Foundation Group – Parkinson’s, we provide people living with Parkinson’s and other neuromuscular conditions access to services and information to help them live their best life.
Parkinson's Support
Providing occupational therapy, counselling, wellbeing services, support groups and advice for people living with Parkinson’s and their families.
This also includes exercise and physical movement, access to a specialised nurse consultant, support for your emotional wellbeing and relationships, speech pathology, help in accessing NDIS and more.
Operating a specialised exercise physiology service in Adelaide called the Brain x Body Fitness Studio, which focuses on improving body and brain health through exercise that encourages neuroplasticity.
Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to grow and change in response to physical and mental activities throughout life. By consistently challenging the brain with exercise and fresh mental activities, the brain continues to restructure, rewire and build new connections.
Running social activities like singing, arts and writing groups to encourage wellbeing, social contact and peer support.
We are committed to helping people with Parkinson’s live well.
Funding the establishment of a South Australian-first MRI imaging centre which specialises in advanced F-DOPA scanning to facilitate research for Parkinson’s disease.
This also includes the funding of a collaboration of experts to translate the imaging analysis from research to clinical care.
Supporting a new trial which will allow people to see if laser light therapy can treat some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s!
Who it benefits
Margaret Jarrett has been using the innovative light therapy helmet and handheld device for the past three years and describes it as “magic”, helping her regain her sense of smell, improve her gait, gut health and overall wellbeing.
Running a clinical trial to investigate whether faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can help improve the gut health of people living with Parkinson’s and ease symptoms such as constipation.
Who it benefits
Cassandra Hewett lives with Young Onset Parkinson’s and hopes this research can change her life!
Establishing a world-first phone App and website to support people with Young Onset Parkinson’s called YOP-X.
The App includes the experiences, ideas, knowledge and advice for people with Young Onset Parkinson’s with practical tools and resources.
Conducting a trial which aims to address the ‘tug of war’ that is experienced by the brain neurons of people with Parkinson’s with natural venoms from a spider.
Researcher
Associate Professor Cedric Bardy hopes this can slow down neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s.
Investigating the protein mechanisms that fail in the gut-brain axis driving neurodegeneration.
Researcher
Dr Blagojce Jovcevski hopes this work will help to better understand how neurodegenerative diseases originate and progress, which can then inform new biomarkers for diagnosis and even prevention.
