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Introduction
Parkinsons disease is one of the most common conditions among older adults, and currently, it does not have any cure. Moreover, Parkinsons disease negatively impacts peoples nervous systems and prevents them from functioning properly over time. At the same time, individuals with Parkinsons disease also experience a certain social stigma which in turn can reduce their quality of life. Therefore, it is important to explore all the social implications of Parkinsons disease for patients and to determine how they affect them. The current paper will focus on analyzing the stereotypes relating to Parkinsons disease. Specifically, the patient group which will be the subject of the study is the older men of all ethnicities with Parkinsons disease living in an urban environment and of different sexual orientations. Such a Parkinsons disease patient group is one of the largest ones, and thus, the results of the current analysis can be generalized.
Background Information
First, it is important to mention the core information about Parkinsons disease and the aforementioned group of patients. Parkinsons disease constitutes a progressive brain disorder that particularly affects the central nervous system of a person (Dorsey et al., 2018). Parkinsons disease primarily affects older adults, and it occurs in situations when basal ganglia nerve cells die or become impaired. The main symptoms of Parkinsons disease include problems with movement and coordination, such as tremors, difficulty with walking, stiffness, as well as impaired balance.
Parkinsons disease affects different types of populations, but the distribution of the disease across the world countries is quite stable. Worldwide, approximately 6 million people are diagnosed with Parkinsons disease, and circa 100 thousand of them live in the United Kingdom (Dorsey et al., 2018). Men tend to have Parkinsons disease more often than women, which is also relevant in the case of the United Kingdom (Dorsey et al., 2018). At the same time, in the United Kingdom, the most prevalent group is people aged between 80 and 95 (Dorsey et al., 2018). Thus, Parkinsons disease can be viewed as a condition affecting primarily older men both in the United Kingdom and worldwide.
Stereotyping
Stereotyping is a practice that every vulnerable group, such as Parkinsons disease patients, is subject to in some form or another. Stereotyping implies holding generalized assumptions about certain phenomena or people which are based on ideas that are false or partially true (Chambers and Ryder, 2018). As mentioned above, Parkinsons disease patients, including older males, often encounter stereotyping in various ways. A common stereotype of people with Parkinsons disease is that they are frail, cognitively impaired, or no longer reliable and individuals who cannot be trusted. Many Parkinsons disease patients also have a facial mask which entails an unexpressive face and thus can mislead others to think that the people suffering from the condition are unwilling to communicate.
Additionally, such patients can often experience hallucinations, which make others view them as delusional and not sane. When being in the presence of Parkinsons disease patients, people report experiencing uncomfortable feelings (Maffoni et al., 2017). The most prevalent stereotype about the disease is that it is a condition of older people; therefore, such individuals are often not taken seriously due to their old age. Moreover, since Parkinsons disease patients may experience problems with communication, they are viewed as unable to express their thoughts and desires.
The Impact of Stereotyping
The extensive stereotyping, which many Parkinsons disease patients become subject to, directly impacts their physical and mental health and can lead to many other considerable problems. For instance, as mentioned above, people who have Parkinsons disease are frequently perceived as being reserved and unwilling to communicate due to the facial mask that they get as their condition progresses. Thus, Parkinsons disease patients can become isolated and may not receive enough contact with other people (Salazar et al., 2018). The lack of communication can cause such patients to feel abandoned and ignored, especially by their relatives when they are around. Eventually, the absence of attention may lead to depression in Parkinsons disease patients and, therefore, negatively impact their mental state. Prolonged depression, in turn, can cause Parkinsons disease patients to begin to have suicide ideation.
Another possible outcome of the facial mask for Parkinsons disease patients is the neglect of their needs by their caregivers, such as family members or medical professionals. Although there are special frameworks that can facilitate the process of the provision of care to Parkinsons disease patients, in many situations, they are not applied due to various reasons. For instance, when a Parkinsons disease patient gets care services from a family member, the latter may be unaware of the need to adhere to a special schedule. As a result, they may get the false impression that if the patient is silent, they do not need any assistance (Da Silva et al., 2019). The facial mask may prevent Parkinsons disease patients from expressing themselves and receiving the care they require. Subsequently, their safety becomes vulnerable since the lack of assistance may cause them to experience severe physical problems.
The facial mask is not the only symptom of Parkinsons disease; another notable phenomenon related to the condition is hallucinations. People with Parkinsons disease may be scared to tell their family members and doctors about the hallucinations they have. They may feel that such information will give other people a negative image of them and force them to distance themselves from the patient. Thus, Parkinsons disease patients may willingly abstain from seeking medical help, which will inevitably lead to the aggravation of their condition in the future (Salazar et al., 2018). Essentially, patients will fail to receive medication to contain their symptoms by withholding valuable information about their condition to avoid suffering from social stigma. Therefore, the stereotyping related to Parkinsons disease can prevent people from accessing healthcare services.
Another considerable problem that Parkinsons disease patients are the lack of assistance on the part of their family members. Friends and family of Parkinsons disease patients may distance themselves from them to the point where the patient will not have any support. Being left completely alone, Parkinsons disease patients may be unable to address their basic needs, such as eating and washing, especially if their condition has significantly progressed over time. Such situations also put the health of Parkinsons disease patients at considerable risk and make them encounter negative consequences.
Finally, when learning about the onset of the condition early, patients may not only conceal it from their families but also embrace alternative medical solutions. First of all, the fear of embarrassment may prevent Parkinsons disease patients from talking to their families about their medical condition. As a result, they lose the support of the people who are dear to them and try to deal with the problem alone, which can be difficult for them mentally (Da Silva et al., 2019). Moreover, after learning about the fact that Parkinsons disease does not have a cure, patients may start looking for ways to treat their condition beyond the established evidence-based medicine. The use of alternative health interventions can worsen the disease for patients and aggravate its symptoms.
Strategies to Promote Inclusivity
It is clear that people living with Parkinsons disease, especially the group which is analyzed as part of the current paper, are often subject to unfavorable treatment from others. Yet, there are initiatives that can be used in order to increase the inclusivity of such people and promote equity in society. The first and most important element of the inclusivity strategy must be the creation of a community of people who share the same concerns. Essentially, there is a need to establish local groups of Parkinsons disease patients where they can communicate with one another. Such local groups must take place in venues that are physically accessible to all sections of the Parkinsons disease community and the diverse needs of the members must be catered for. Caregivers also should participate in such activities in order to exchange their knowledge and share experiences.
Another important element of the inclusivity strategy is the provision of job opportunities to people affected by Parkinsons disease. Although Parkinsons disease is debilitating, patients during the early stages can still continue executing the majority of tasks themselves. Research shows that occupational therapy is effective in helping people with the condition to stay active despite their symptoms (Radder et al., 2017). Thus, people with Parkinsons disease must be encouraged to work and should be offered opportunities to do so. Work can enable such people to stay connected with their friends and colleagues and to be included in social life. At the same time, it is important to avoid discriminating against individuals affected by Parkinsons in the workplace. Such employees should have equal access to training, development, and other career opportunities and, if possible, have to be given flexible working schedules.
Raising awareness about Parkinsons disease is another crucial strategy that must be taken seriously by advocacy and charity organizations. Essentially, the existing stigma concerning Parkinsons disease can be addressed only through publicity and education. An average person must understand all the aspects of Parkinsons disease and has to know how much people should be approached. The mission of advocacy and charity organizations must be the promotion of the interests of people affected by Parkinsons disease. Thus, such organizations must raise awareness among the public through the means of national campaigns. For instance, such organizations can create TV commercials explaining the basics of Parkinsons disease and encourage the viewers to spread the information further. Most importantly, advocacy groups should protect the rights of Parkinsons disease patients by addressing inequalities and injustice in society.
Charity organizations also can offer a wide variety of services to Parkinsons disease patients to integrate them socially. Due to motor problems, people with Parkinsons disease often struggle to move freely, yet there is evidence that exercise can help to slow down the progress of the condition (Stuckenschneider et al., 2021). Thus, charities can deliver training to Parkinsons disease patients on how to engage in therapeutical physical activities. Moreover, charity centers can hold group training for people with Parkinsons disease where they can meet others and possibly exercise together in the future. Charity organizations also can attract volunteers willing to work with Parkinsons disease patients. The support of volunteers is particularly important for those patients who live alone, and the interactions with caregivers will let them have communication and social interactions.
Nurses and other caregivers also can provide Parkinsons disease patients with information about strategies on how they can help themselves. In the United Kingdom, there are policies in place targeted at helping people with severe health problems, including those living with Parkinsons disease. For instance, such people may be eligible for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if they are aged 64 and under, have walking difficulties, ad need help with personal care. Nurses can educate their patients on how they can apply for such state programs. Nurses also can distribute advice sheets to their patients containing information on how they can help themselves by exercising and engaging in other activities.
Reflection on Self-Awareness and Resilience
People tend to engage in stereotyping quite frequently in their life, and I am not an exception. When I tried to analyze my stereotyping behaviors, I always came to the conclusion that it was unintentional. Moreover, when I realized the possible consequences of my words, I felt shame and wanted to apologize to the people whom I subjected to such unfair treatment. Nowadays, I always strive to be polite and understand that stereotyping is wrong and should not be used by people. Additionally, whenever I hear someone engage in stereotyping, I always try to tell them about it and explain why such behavior is unacceptable.
I believe that I am quite honest about my views of others because I avoid generalizing about people based on their inherent qualities and characteristics. Essentially, when I consider the actions or words of other people, I prefer not to rely on stereotypes. Instead, I analyze every person separately and make conclusions only about their personal conduct. As a result, I manage to be relatively objective and impartial in my judgments. At the same time, occasionally, I may experience strong emotions in certain people, which may prevent me from adhering to the principle of honesty when I form my view of them.
Have any of your opinions been challenged through the learning?
The learning enabled me to once again consider my behavior and even certain opinions about Parkinsons disease. Previously, I believed that Parkinsons disease patients have better access to healthcare services and generally do not face any substantial social stigma. Yet, the research has shown that people affected by Parkinsons disease may experience considerable problems, both mental and physical. Such information has enabled me to change my opinion on people with Parkinsons disease and to understand that more efforts need to be put toward the inclusion of such people.
The research also made me want to change my approach or avoid making assumptions not based on actual evidence. As a result, in the future, before talking of people affected by any kind of disease, I will first ensure to conduct a thorough research about the experiences encountered by such people. By employing such a strategy, I will be able to avoid making false claims and will not engage in stereotyping. Another aspect that I would like to enhance is the ability to recognize my wrong views and stereotypes more quickly and be more conscious of what I think and say to other people.
At the same time, I also can be subject to stereotyping, and I have learned several ways of coping with it. First of all, I need to address stereotyping behavior aimed at me by talking to people who engage in it to discuss with them the reasons why they hold such beliefs. I am certain that stereotyping results from a lack of knowledge, and therefore, educating people can effectively address their stereotyping behaviors. Additionally, the understanding that the main cause of stereotyping is ignorance, I will not take such behavior seriously.
Conclusion
Parkinsons disease affects many different populations, especially older males, and such individuals are often subject to stereotyping. Parkinsons disease is a debilitating condition that negatively impacts peoples movement and even their speech ability. The standard symptoms of the condition include tremors, difficulty with walking, stiffness, impaired balance, and a facial mask. Due to stereotyping, people with Parkinsons disease are often viewed as mentally challenged and delusional. Moreover, such individuals are also concerned about being anti-social and are unwilling to communicate with others. The implications of stereotyping for Parkinsons disease patients include depression, lack of support, suicidal ideation, absence of access to healthcare services, and assistance from family members. In order to address the existing problems, Parkinsons disease patients need to receive support from charities and the state. People affected by Parkinsons disease patients should have employment opportunities if they are ready to work and need specialized care and state benefits.
Reference List
Chambers, C., and Ryder, E. (2018) Compassion and caring in nursing. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Da Silva, A. G. et al. (2019) Difficulties in activities of daily living are associated with stigma in patients with Parkinsons disease who are candidates for deep brain stimulation, Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 42(2), pp. 15.
Dorsey, E. R et al. (2018) Global, regional, and national burden of Parkinsons disease, 19902016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016, The Lancet Neurology, 17(11), pp. 939953.
Maffoni, M. et al. (2017) Stigma experienced by Parkinsons disease patients: a descriptive review of qualitative studies, Parkinsons Disease, 2017, pp. 17.
Radder, D. et al. (2017) Physical therapy and occupational therapy in Parkinsons disease, International Journal of Neuroscience, 127(10), 930943.
Salazar, R. D. et al. (2018) Predictors of self-perceived stigma in Parkinsons disease, Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, 60, pp. 7680.
Stuckenschneider, T. et al. (2021) Diseaseinclusive exercise classes improve physical fitness and reduce depressive symptoms in individuals with and without Parkinsons diseaseA feasibility study, Brain and Behavior, 11(10), pp. 111.
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