Parkinson’s Awareness in Care

Build confidence in everyday support for people living with Parkinson’s. This CPD-accredited online course is for adult care workers and agency staff in care homes, home care and supported living. Eight modules cover individual experiences, communication, medicine timing, movement, mealtimes, nonmotor changes and factual handover.

Teaching uses an England-focused adult care context. Apply the national guidance, employer procedures and individual care plans relevant to your setting.

✓ Study using an internet-enabled device and everyday English comprehension.
✓ No formal qualification is required to start.
✓ Use the workbook’s fictional scenarios and guided activities.
✓ Request an accessible learning format if you need one.

Module 1 — Understanding Parkinson’s and Individual Experience

Understand how Parkinson’s can affect movement and nonmotor experiences differently. Use the person’s own account and current plan instead of assumptions about diagnosis, age or future independence.

By the end of this Module, learners will be able to:

✓ Describe motor and nonmotor effects without diagnosing.
✓ Explain why symptoms and abilities can fluctuate.
✓ Avoid assumptions about progression, age or capacity.
✓ Identify what to establish with the person and current plan.

Workplace example: Two adults have Parkinson’s. Jo has a quiet voice and needs time to reply; Sam has an agreed mobility plan and reports variable fatigue. A colleague says both must have identical support and a fixed progression timetable. No new sudden change is stated.

Module 2 — Person-Centred Plans Communication and Choice

Explore current support instructions, respectful communication and meaningful choice. Learn to allow time, use established communication methods and clarify conflicting plans.

By the end of this Module, learners will be able to:

✓ Locate current authorised support and communication instructions.
✓ Give time and use suitable established communication methods.
✓ Support choice and appropriate family involvement without automatic substitution.
✓ Seek competent clarification for unclear plans.

Workplace example: Ari has an established communication aid and wants to choose what to wear. A colleague answers for Ari immediately. The plan does not name a substitute decision-maker and no emergency is stated.

Module 3 — Time-Critical Medicines and Safe Escalation

Recognise why individual prescribed medicine times matter and when delay, supply or swallowing concerns need prompt professional advice. Distinguish authorised support from prescribing or changing treatment.

By the end of this Module, learners will be able to:

✓ Explain why prescribed individual medicine times matter.
✓ Recognise delay, omission, supply or swallowing concerns needing prompt competent advice.
✓ Distinguish authorised medicine support from prescribing or changes.
✓ Communicate the actual schedule, known facts and uncertainty safely.

Workplace example: An authorised worker sees that a Parkinson’s medicine is due at the person’s individually prescribed time, but supply is unavailable. The exact medicine, dose and catch-up instructions are not provided. No serious deterioration or emergency is described.

Module 4 — Movement Freezing and Everyday Safety

Consider movement fluctuations, freezing and everyday safety through the person’s assessed plan. Recognise the limits of your practical training and avoid improvised pulling, transfers or techniques.

By the end of this Module, learners will be able to:

✓ Recognise plan-described movement fluctuations without diagnosing the cause.
✓ Follow assessed assistance and equipment instructions within competence.
✓ Avoid pulling, improvised cueing, transfers or exercise prescriptions.
✓ Prioritise emergency help for new sudden changes rather than assuming an off period.

Workplace example: Lee’s assessed mobility plan names equipment, but you are not trained or authorised to use it. A colleague suggests pulling Lee’s arm or copying a freezing cue from the internet. No immediate emergency is stated.

Module 5 — Mealtime Swallowing and Personal Care Support

Review individual mealtime, swallowing and personal-care instructions, preserving dignity and choice. Notice changed concerns, clarify conflicting instructions and recognise when urgent help takes priority.

By the end of this Module, learners will be able to:

✓ Follow individual authorised swallowing/mealtime and personal-care plans.
✓ Notice changed concerns and obtain competent clarification.
✓ Avoid swallow tests, generic posture, food/fluid or medicine alterations.
✓ Seek emergency help for serious choking or breathing difficulty within trained procedures.

Workplace example: Morgan reports swallowing feels more difficult today. The available mealtime instructions conflict, and no safe texture, fluid or medicine alteration is specified. No choking event is stated.

Module 6 — Non-Motor Changes Emotional Wellbeing and Participation

Recognise the variable effects of fatigue, sleepiness, emotional distress and other nonmotor changes. Support personal pacing and participation while reporting concerning changes factually.

By the end of this Module, learners will be able to:

✓ Recognise that nonmotor effects and their impact vary.
✓ Listen and support individual pacing and meaningful participation.
✓ Report new confusion, hallucinations, sleepiness, distress or behaviour changes factually.
✓ Avoid diagnosing or independently changing medicines or therapy.

Workplace example: Dana reports unusual sleepiness and seeing something others do not see. The onset and cause are not established. A colleague says Parkinson’s explains everything and proposes changing the medicine schedule.

Module 7 — Recognising Changes and Getting the Right Help

Compare observed changes with the person’s established baseline and choose an appropriate help route. Distinguish suspected stroke and other emergencies from prompt professional advice and routine plan review.

By the end of this Module, learners will be able to:

✓ Compare observed change with established baseline without diagnostic certainty.
✓ Distinguish emergency action from prompt professional advice and routine recording.
✓ Escalate time-critical medicine risks without managerial delay or dose invention.
✓ Give known observations and onset uncertainty without waiting for complete paperwork.

Workplace example: During a visit Riley develops a new facial droop and speech change. The exact onset is uncertain. A colleague suggests waiting for the manager because Riley has Parkinson’s.

Module 8 — Handover Review and Parkinson’s Care Scenarios

Bring together person-centred support, accurate records and secure handover. Share known observations, actions, advice and outstanding concerns without inventing facts or delaying immediate help.

By the end of this Module, learners will be able to:

✓ Prioritise immediate safety before record completion.
✓ Share necessary actual timings, support instructions, observations and actions.
✓ Respect confidentiality and use authorised handover routes.
✓ Seek review and learning without inventing facts, compliance or recovery promises.

Workplace example: During a routine visit Casey asks for more time using the established communication method and reports an ongoing supply concern already escalated to the authorised professional route. No medicine, dose, reply or new sudden symptoms are specified.

Final Assessment

Complete 15 single-answer multiple-choice questions. Choose one answer for each question; the pass mark is 80% (12 out of 15). Complete the assessment independently, read every question and option carefully, and follow the on-screen instructions.