Parkinson's Disease can affect people in the workplace in different ways.  The extent to which it affects people depends largely on the actual symptoms.  For example, if a surgeon has a resting tremor, this can have a larger impact than if one works as a custodian.  While Parkinson's Disease seems to affect people who are in their late 50's and early 60's most often, more cases are being diagnosed in those who are considerably younger.  For example, Michael J. Fox was diagnosed in his 30's.  The workplace considerations for those who are younger Parkinsonians are more profound, as they have more potential years of work ahead of them than their older counterparts.

• Initial symptoms are basically a nuisance and can generally be controlled with L-dopa, exercise, multi-modal assistance and lifestyle changes.

• L-dopa or Carbidopa replaces dopamine in the brain. The lack of dopamine causes the motor problems seen in Parkinson's Disease.  Scientists estimate that 80 percent of the dopamine producing cells must be lost before the first signs of the disease can be noticed (Fitzsimmons and Bunting, 1993).

• If too much dopamine is in the brain, hallucinations can occur.  If too little is in the brain, symptoms can appear. So, it is a delicate balance of medical management and the personal context of the worker's life that make the difference.

• There is something called an on/off phenomenon.  This means that a person can experience almost no symptoms for some time and then without warning freeze in walking or have certain symptoms re-appear.

• Anxiety and or feelings of embarrassment can worsen the symptoms.  Small accommodations (i.e., allowing more time to complete an assignment) can be made in the workplace to enable the worker with Parkinson's Disease to function at a high level.

• There are different types of help for workers with Parkinson's Disease.  One place is an EAP program that can provide counseling or offer a clearinghouse of information such as referrals to support groups and Web sites.