Movers and shakers: the groDad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s a few months back (and gave me permission to write this article). It came as a relief of sorts, as it helped explain a few things, and it didn’t necessarily phase us all that much. After all, he is 86, and there is a long list of other issues. But still it seems there is always room for one more!
Some of our experiences in recent months have informed this article. I will say right up front that if you, or someone you know, is suffering from Parkinson’s, please reach out. Let’s swap notes, support each other. Community matters. stephen.keys@thewisdomvault.org. Right, on with the article.
Facts and figures
Australia faces a growing wave of Parkinson’s disease, now the fastestrising neurological condition in the country. Australia-wide, over 150,000 people live with Parkinson’s, the second most common neurological disorder after dementia, while about 50 new cases are diagnosed every day. Incidence is rising ~4% annually. Without change, the number of Australians living with Parkinson’s will more than triple between 2020 and 2050, and newdiagnoses will more than double.
This isn’t just a problem for the elderly. Young-onset Parkinson’s accounts for 10–20% of cases, with over 1,100 working-age Australians diagnosed each year, yet only 16% access NDIS support. The economic cost exceeds A$10 billion per year, including health services, lost productivity, and unpaid family care. The question is: what can we do about as we navigate midlife?
Spotting the early signs
First let’s not get too stressed. It is not common and there is no need to panic. That said, it is worth being mindful of early symptoms, which are often subtle, because early intervention is important:
- Motor symptoms: slight tremor (often at rest), slowed movement (bradykinesia), muscle stiffness, reduced facial expression (“mask”), changes in handwriting.
- Non-motor signs: early depression/anxiety, sleep disturbance (REM behaviour), loss of smell, constipation, cognitive slowing.
Looking back, I recognized many of these symptoms in Dad. It was a relatively straightforward diagnosis when we eventually went to see a specialist.
Medication and management
There is currently no known cure. What we do know is that for people with Parkinson’s disease, dopamine levels are too low. As the dopamine starts to fall, signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease will begin to reveal themselves. This is why most medication focuses on replenishing dopamine to mitigate the effects of the disease. Levodopa remains the frontline therapy to replenish dopamine, often supplemented with medications like COMT inhibitors or MAO-B inhibitors to manage response fluctuations.
A physiotherapy-led exercise program (dance, boxing, strength training) can slow progression of motor symptoms, and are generally good ideas anyway as our bodies start to age. Speech therapy and occupational therapy help with swallowing, voice and daily tasks. Regular medication reviews are critical to adjust timing, dosage and address side-effects. Messing with dopamine levels is not trivial, so care must be taken with dosage management (gradual increases and decreases over time helps mitigate side-effects).
The human perspective
While publicly available Australian-specific personal stories are limited, the Stellar podcast features Amanda Keller’s husband, Harley Oliver, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s years earlier. Amanda describes the emotional challenges: acceptance, shifting family roles, and balancing career and caregiving. This echo’s themes of domestic adjustment and resilience experienced by many Australians grappling with this disease.
Amanda’s story teaches us that living with Parkinson’s extends beyond the person diagnosed. Carers often reduce work or leave employment entirely to manage care, affecting household incomes. The emotional burden is heavy. including uncertainty, role reversal, grief over gradual loss of independence, and anxiety about future decline. Much of this emotional and financial cost is borne by families, invisible yet immense.
When my Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, the symptoms were obvious. The tremors were so strong he is the go-to cocktail maker in our household these days. What we have found interesting is that, for him, the side-effects of the dopamine medication were non-trivial, especially in terms of mental alertness, so we dialed that right down. He has also found physical exercise, like stretching and brisk walking, to be incredibly helpful. So, we are dialing that up.
The point is, there is no “one answer”. It is best to consult your doctor, keep an accurate daily record, and adjust based on your unique needs and observed effects.
Prevention, detection, support, awareness
When Jeremy Paxman, a much-loved TV personality in the UK, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he set up the Movers and Shakers podcast, featuring six well known British personalities including himself plus Rory Cellan-Jones, Sir Nicholas Mostyn, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, and Gillian Lacey-Solomaar who candidly discuss living with Parkinson’s. Key episodes cover medication management, exploring drugs like levodopa, dopamine agonists, side effects, and timing of doses. The team also explore cognitive decline and mental health: non-motor symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and executive dysfunction. Work, relationships and support are also given a good workout, covering topics like navigating employment, partner dynamics, travel, and advocacy via their “Parky Charter” campaigning in UK Parliament.
What emerges are a few basic things we can each do to stay mindful and healthy, not preventing risk altogether, but at least mitigation. These can be summarised as follows:
A) Risk Reduction and Health Habits
- Maintain cardiovascular health. Control blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol to reduce progression risk.
- Stay physically active: regular aerobic and strength-based exercise is associated with slower symptom development.
- Engage in brain-healthy habits: social activity, cognitively engaging tasks, balanced diet and good sleep support overall resilience.
B) Spot the Signs Early
- Don’t dismiss persistent stiffness, slowness, mood changes or sleep problems, especially in someone under 65.
- Seek evaluations, a GP referral to neurology or a movement disorders clinic can clarify diagnosis.
- If symptoms persist despite initial reassurance, ask for a second opinion or specialist assessment.
C) Support Those Living with Parkinson’s
- Familiarise yourself with local Parkinson’s Australia services and peer networks.
- Advocate physiotherapy, speech therapy, dietitians and occupational therapists to help maintain function.
- Encourage use of support mechanisms such as NDIS plans, counselling, carer support and assistive devices.
- Employers can offer workplace flexibility, phased transitions and inclusion so people can continue working safely.
D) Raise Awareness and Advocate
- Share podcasts like Movers and Shakers to normalise conversation that spotlight non-motor symptoms, mental health, medication realities and the work of advocacy.
- Support initiatives such as the National Parkinson’s Alliance, which recently called for a National Parkinson’s Action Plan and joined global gene-mapping collaborations backed by NeuRA and Cure Parkinson’s (links below).
- Encourage public empathy around travel, services and workplace accommodations for those living with Parkinson’s, as Movers and Shakers covers in episodes on travel and relationships.
Why it matters
Parkinson’s is no longer rare. With rising incidence, younger-onset cases and significant economic and emotional cost, it’s a condition many Australian men navigating midlife will confront directly or through loved ones. By recognising early signs, supporting quality care and movement-based treatment, and sharing experiences and advocating systemic change, we can improve quality of life, prolong autonomy and reduce the burden on families and the health system.
As the hosts of Movers and Shakers show us, Parkinson’s is unpredictable, but thoughtful action, care and community make a real difference. Simple acts, such as spotting early symptoms, encouraging movement, supporting workplaces or just listening, help turn uncertainty into manageable steps.
Australia may be growing older, but with awareness and support, we can ensure rising neurological diagnoses don’t equate to rising suffering. It’s another way of ensuring that we don’t let the old man in, at least not yet.
