Home Instead are delighted to announce a new partnership with the national charity, Parkinson's UK.

Through the partnership, a bespoke training programme has been created, specific to the condition which will provide Caregivers the knowledge and skills to provide care that is tailored to the needs of someone living with Parkinson's.

Training of in-house trainers is complete and the roll out of training amongst Caregivers will now start in earnest.

Home Instead are also pleased to be able to share their knowledge of the social care and home care sector with Parkinson's UK, offering them a valuable insight into the difference home care can make and how people's homes can provide a safe place for people living with a Parkinson's diagnosis.

Parkinson's is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world and it is estimated 1 in 37 people alive today will be diagnosed with Parkinson's in their lifetime.

However there is still no cure, it gets worse over time, and with over 40 symptoms, it is incredibly complex and unique to each individual. Around 145,000 people in the UK have Parkinson's.

With Parkinson's the brain cells that make dopamine start to die. Some symptoms are treatable, but the drugs can have serious side effects. The condition gets worse over time and there's no cure at the present time.

Speaking about working with Parkinson's UK, Home Instead CEO, Martin Jones said: "We want people to be able to live their life well at home, where they feel most comfortable. This is absolutely possible for someone who is living with Parkinson's.

"By sharing our sector expertise with Parkinson's UK we hope that families will realise that they do have a choice when it comes to care and that quality home care can really make a difference to people's lives.

"This type of partnership between third and private sectors presents a really exciting dynamic as we look to shape the future of care and support."

Ghalib Ullah, Head of Commercial Partnerships at Parkinson's UK added: "We are delighted to partner with Home Instead and are really excited about working collaboratively with them to make sure people with Parkinson's get the right care and support.

"By up-skilling and providing their caregivers with the relevant resources, practical skills and information about Parkinson's, it will ensure they can deliver the very best quality care when dealing with clients with Parkinson's, especially those with more complex symptoms.

"We know that domiciliary care is preferable to many people with Parkinson's and their loved ones and we hope that by supporting and enabling care staff to feel confident when it comes to understanding Parkinson's we are also delaying the moment when individuals may need to move into a care home."

You can find more information on the condition, as well as advice and support on the Parkinson's UK website.

Home Instead Exeter and East Devon are a member of the Parkinson's Excellence Network and already offer specialist support in this area to a number of their clients. This additional training will enhance the expertise of their Caregivers further in this specialist area.

If you would like to find out more about how Home Instead can support you or a loved one to live independently, at home, please call us on 01395 200600.