Objective: To provide structured psychoeducational and informational support, including disease education, coping and self-management strategies, and guidance on healthcare and social services for Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Background: PD is characterized by a combination of motor and non-motor symptoms, significantly affecting patients’ and families’ quality of life [1]. Effective management requires an integrated approach that also addresses psychosocial needs [2]. Patients and caregivers often face uncertainty and difficulties adapting to the chronic, progressive nature of PD.
Method: The Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinsonism Family Center, a psychoeducational program established at a public Parkinson Center in Milan, funded by a public grant and promoted by a private foundation, is in its second year of activity, starting Oct 1, 2025. It represents an innovative and integrated service within the Lombardy public healthcare system, bridging diagnostic and treatment centers with local healthcare, administrative and social services, and providing psychoeducational interventions for patients and families. Activities include structured psychoeducational sessions, informational support via the ‘family care’ service, newly introduced peer-support groups and a family assistance desk providing welfare and administrative guidance. Services are free for users. Participants complete satisfaction questionnaires.
Results: Overall, 248 users participated (152F, 96M; mean age 64.2) including 112 patients (50F, 62M; mean age 71.5) and 136 caregivers (102F,34M; mean age 58.2). Satisfaction questionnaires showed high overall satisfaction (mean score 4.33/5), with the greatest improvements in disease knowledge, management of patient-related challenges, interpersonal relationships, and awareness of local services.
Conclusion: Structured psychoeducational and informational services improved disease knowledge, interpersonal relationships, management of patient-related challenges, and awareness of local services. These outcomes suggest improved coping capacity, psychological adaptation, and strengthened social support. Recently introduced peer-support groups and the family assistance desk aim to further reinforce these benefits. We aim to consolidate these findings and promote a replicable, integrated, multidisciplinary model for comprehensive PD care.
Previously presented: IAPRD, May 2025; LIMPE, Oct 2025; WPC, May 2026.
References: [1] Martinez-Martin, P., Rodriguez-Blazquez, C., Kurtis, M. M., Chaudhuri, K. R., & NMSS Validation Group (2011). The impact of non-motor symptoms on health-related quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Movement disorders: official journal of the Movement Disorder Society, 26(3), 399–406. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.23462
[2] Lidstone, S. C., Bayley, M., & Lang, A. E. (2020). The evidence for multidisciplinary care in Parkinson’s disease. Expert review of neurotherapeutics, 20(6), 539–549. https://doi.org/10.1080/14737175.2020.1771184
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
M. Serini, C. Aiello, G. Garavaglia, I. Riela, D. Devoto, M. Barichella, M. Macchione, E. Sacilotto, I. Sconfietti, I. Isaias, R. Giove, A. Ranghetti, D. Calandrella, G. Pezzoli. Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinsonism Family Center Psychoeducational Program for Patients and Caregivers [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2026; 41 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/parkinsons-disease-and-parkinsonism-family-center-psychoeducational-program-for-patients-and-caregivers/. Accessed October 1, 2026.« Back to 2026 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/parkinsons-disease-and-parkinsonism-family-center-psychoeducational-program-for-patients-and-caregivers/