The decision to move a loved one with Parkinson’s (PD) into a long-term care facility can be complex and heart-wrenching. Family members often struggle to know whether this move is the right choice. Will their loved one be supported? Safe? Will the staff have the unique Parkinson’s expertise they need?
Long-term care facilities with specialized Parkinson’s knowledge are now more important than ever. Cindy Bunes, the Director of Rehab at NHC Greenville, a care facility that provides both short- and long-term care, has seen this firsthand. “It’s undeniable,” she said. The number of people with Parkinson’s is skyrocketing. “There’s a real need for us to be better equipped.”
At PMD Alliance, we recognized this gap between families needing informed care for Parkinson’s and facilities lacking—but hungry for—the necessary resources. We took action. We developed Certified Parkinson Disease Care™ (CPDC™), an accreditation program to help care facilities deliver high-quality, compassionate, knowledgeable care to people with PD.
It started with a connection. Two years ago, NHC Greenville’s administrator bumped into Betsy Purdie, an Acadia Pharmaceuticals representative, at their state health association. NHC Greenville already had a good relationship with Acadia, who often provides them in-service training, but they had never heard of PMD Alliance. Betsy knew that NHC Greenville was invested in Parkinson’s care and already had LSVT-certified staff members, a unique offering. So she suggested they take it to the next level to really show their commitment: a full certification in Parkinson’s care from PMD Alliance.
“The certification process,” Cindy said, “was seamless.” NHC Greenville chose to certify six staff members, or what CPDC™ calls “advocates,” selecting staff members across disciplines: two therapists, the recreational activities director, the admissions coordinator (whose dad had Parkinson’s), and two nurses. “They were all enthusiastic about it,” she said. “We definitely learned a lot.”
One of the biggest game-changers to come out of their PMD Alliance certification is the concept of medication timing. Typically, their nurses would go down the hallway, giving medications room-by-room. Timing was dictated by a person’s room number, not their disease. But through the educational videos provided by PMD Alliance, they realized what happens when a person with PD is “OFF” (when their medication isn’t delivered on time, every time). “A picture is worth a thousand words,” Cindy said, “The nurses saw the impact timing had on a person’s ability to independently perform activities of daily living. Seeing the why really drove them to do something different.”
For families seeking a care facility for their loved one, a CPDC™ accreditation sets a facility apart. Cindy explained, “We wanted something to acknowledge our extra level of care and training for people with Parkinson’s. This certification speaks to our values and our community.”
She went on, “Now, we’re able to use language with families right from the beginning that lets them know that we’re familiar with this disease process. So many times before this, families felt like they had to explain to us the importance of medication management. That’s exhausting to have to do. Now, we come equipped with that knowledge. It gives families a certain comfort level right when they walk in the door. They don’t have to try and persuade us of the importance of what they or their loved one needs.”
“The nurses saw the impact timing had on a person’s ability to independently perform activities of daily living. Seeing the why really drove them to do something different.”
Cindy and the advocates at NHC Greenville don’t want to keep their newfound resources and knowledge to themselves. They’re on a mission to extend their support to their community. In April, they hosted their first ever Pump It for Parkinson’s community event. They opened their doors to people impacted by Parkinson’s throughout their city and invited them in for exercise and education. Their lineup was jam packed. The local Greenville Area Parkinson’s Support Group was there, alongside Acadia Pharmaceuticals, who talked about screening for hallucinations and delusions. A speech therapist provided speech and swallow screenings, while Rock Steady Boxing was on site to do a boxing demo. A dietician talked about the power of protein in Parkinson’s and gave out recipe cards for a protein-packed chia pudding. Another therapist educated attendees about LSVT Big & Loud Therapy, and NHC Greenville proudly displayed their CPDC™ flag and signs out front.
“It was a big day,” Cindy said. In fact, their reach extended beyond Greenville, across the nation. “We partnered with NuStep,” the creators of a low impact recumbent bike, “and set a goal: 25,000 steps.” They invited attendees and residents and staff members to “pump it” on the bikes set up in their facility and called on people nationwide to join in to reach their goal. As a local news team covered the live action, amplifying their reach, they easily surpassed their goal.
For NHC Greenville, CPDC™ has been a spark to deepen their connections and find new ways to serve. “We’ve really worked hard in the last year to build bridges with local organizations supporting Parkinson’s,” Cindy said. Pump It for Parkinson’s was a testament to their effort and their mission.
Cindy’s commitment to supporting people with Parkinson’s isn’t just professional; it’s personal. Her uncle, who’s in his 90s, has PD. “He still walks up and down the steps every day,” she told me. “He does Rock Steady Boxing. He motivates me. He’s got a great sense of humor and a love for life. He avails himself of all the resources he can and encourages others.” As she seeks to expand care for her community, she finds herself taking her cues from her uncle.
Indeed, Cindy is determined to make sure that every NHC facility is ready to meet the growing demand of people with Parkinson’s. “I really hope CPDC™ is promoted across the nation,” she said. “It can help frontline caregivers like us. We really need these resources. It can help us in the fight.”
