Support Is Just a Click Away

04/25/2012

More and more people are turning to the internet for information, support and to find people with common experiences or interests. The internet can be a great source of support and information if it is used wisely.

Benefits to online support and information

· Information. Tremendous source of information from very credible sources such as foundations, doctors, and educational programs

· Access. Available to you 24/7 in the comfort of your home eliminating the need to travel and allowing you the time to think and write

· Anonymity.

o You may not be ready to reveal your diagnosis to friends or coworkers but still need someone to ‘talk to’.

o You can talk about things that you would be uncomfortable to ask or talk

· Multi-media

o Video postings can personalize the experience

o Voice recognition software (i.e. Dragon Speak) can be used if you have trouble writing.

o Writing is convenient if you have trouble speaking

· Strength in numbers. The large number of people in a group mean more diversity in experience and greater number of opinions or responses to a question

· Networking opportunity to connect with different types of groups such as those based on gender, caregiving, age, special activity or advocacy

Caution about online support groups and information

· Information Credibility. One of the benefits of the internet is the ability to access a lot of sites and source of information in a short period of time. Almost anyone can post this information so its accuracy can be called into question. Beware of claims for cures or statements that sound too good to be true or focus on the negative complaints only. Choose sites associated with credible foundations like the NWPF and national organizations. See resources section for more information

· One sided conversations- It may be easy to misinterpret what is posted since you do not have the benefit of history, both sides of the story or real-time conversation

· Addictive. Since you have access to the internet 24/7, it can take over your life if you and disrupt your daily routine and sleep. Balance is important, like everything else in life.

The internet offers an abundance of information, support and tools to make your life easier with Parkinson’s. The NWPF offers PDCommunity! to share our information and expertise with the Parkinson’s community.

Join PDCommunity, NWPF's blog moderated by Dr. Giroux.

See related articles: Strength in Numbers, Power of Support Groups

Author: Monique Giroux, MD

Copyright 2011 Northwest Parkinson's Foundation Wellness Center

Medical Information Disclaimer and Legal Agreement

Please read this agreement entirely and carefully before using the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation website (nwpf.org).By using www.nwpf.org site, you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions below and in the www.nwpf.org Privacy Policy.

Disclaimer About Medical Information:
The information and reference materials contained here are intended solely for the general information of the reader. It is not to be used for treatment purposes, but rather for discussion with the patient's own physician. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of professional medical care. The information contained herein is neither intended to dictate what constitutes reasonable, appropriate or best care for any given health issue, nor is it intended to be used as a substitute for the independent judgment of a physician for any given health issue. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only. The major limitation of informational resources like www.nwpf.org is the inability to take into account the unique circumstances that define the health issues of the patient. If you have persistent health problems or if you have further questions, please consult your health care provider. All visitors to this and other www.nwpf.org associated web sites agree to read and abide by the complete terms of this agreement.

Legal Disclaimers

Summary:
 * www.nwpf.org web site does not constitute an attempt to practice medicine.
 * The use of the site does not establish a doctor-patient relationship.
 * Individuals should consult a qualified health care provider for medical advice and answers to personal health questions.
 * While the site attempts to be as accurate as possible, it should not be relied upon as being comprehensive or error-free.
 * www.nwpf.org is under constant development and changes may be made in the articles and programs at any time.
 * The web site reserves the right to change its disclaimer or privacy policy, so users should review these periodically.

No Medical Advice.
The information posted here by www.nwpf.org is not to be considered medical advice and is not intended to replace consultation with a qualified medical professional. We may answer and post medical questions solely on our own discretion. We do not have the resources or the capability to answer all visitor questions. In general, the questions we choose to answer are (in our opinion) of value to other readers. The answers to these questions should in no way be considered specific medical advice or a plan for disease management. Our goal is to provide sufficient information so that www.nwpf.org visitors are able to become knowledgeable participants in their disease management plan. The primary responsibility of your disease management plan is with your treating physicians and you should only follow your treating physicians advice. DO NOT change/modify your disease management plan on your own without consulting your treating physicians.

No Warranties.
This web site is provided on an "as is," "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to, those of TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE or NON-INFRINGEMENT or any warranty as to accuracy, timeliness, completeness or arising from a course of dealing, usage, or trade practice. No oral advice or written information provided by the www.nwpf.org shall create a warranty; nor shall members or visitors to the site rely on any such information or advice.

Disclaimer of Liability.
The user assumes all responsibility and risk for the use of this web site. Under no circumstances shall www.nwpf.org or its contributors/employees or its affiliated organizations such as the University of Illinois at Chicago or its employees or anyone else involved in creating or maintaining this web site be liable for any DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL or CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, or LOST PROFITS that result directly or indirectly from the use or inability to use the web site and/or any other web sites which are linked to this site - or that result directly or indirectly from mistakes, omissions, interruptions, deletion of files, viruses, errors, defects, or any failure of performance, communications failure, theft, destruction or unauthorized access.

In states which do not allow some or all of the above limitations of liability, liability shall be limited to the greatest extent allowed by law.

Online Conduct.
Visitors agree to use the web site only for lawful purposes and are prohibited from posting on the web site any unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory or obscene material of any kind, including, but not limited to, any material which encourages conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national or international law. This applies to any posting that could be termed as Sexual Harassment and or Discrimination. Although in the absence of a specific complaint the postings are not monitored for compliance with this provision, in an effort to discourage such conduct, please note that all postings in the Comments area will list the author's name--no anonymous postings are permitted!

Disclaimer of Endorsement.
Reference to any products, services, hypertext link to the third parties or other information by trade name, trademark, supplier or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation by www.nwpf.org or its contributors/employees. They are for convenience only.

Link Disclaimer.
Links are provided only as an informational resource. Please note that many of the links provided are not on our servers and are not maintained by us or affiliated with any services provided by us. These links are provided simply as a service, and it should not be implied that we recommend, endorse or approve of any of the content at the linked site(s), nor are we responsible for their availability, accuracy or content.

Have a nice day.