Oxford Parkinson’s support group to hear about treatment options

Patients, caregivers and family members gathered Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at Oxford University United Methodist Church as the Oxford area Parkinson’s Support Group met to hear about treatment options from neurologist Dr. Megan Edwards of Oxford Neurology Clinic. In Lafayette County, where families often have to piece together care between appointments, the gathering offered something practical: direct time with a specialist and a room full of people facing the same progressive disease.

Edwards, who is listed on Oxford Neurology Clinic’s provider roster, planned to discuss the different medical treatments used for Parkinson’s disease. That kind of conversation matters for people who were newly diagnosed and for those who have lived with the condition for years, because Parkinson’s treatment is personalized and can include medication, exercise, therapy, surgery and complementary options. Questions about symptom control, medication changes and when to bring concerns to a neurologist are often the difference between managing the disease day to day and feeling overwhelmed by it.

The June 8 meeting was open not only to people with Parkinson’s disease, but also to caregivers and family members. That reach matters because Parkinson’s does not affect only one person in a household. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says the disease can affect movement, sleep, fatigue, mood, attention, memory, bowel and bladder function and balance, creating a burden that often spreads across spouses, adult children and other care partners.

Oxford Neurology Clinic says it provides comprehensive neurological care to Oxford and surrounding areas from 2908 South Lamar Blvd. The Parkinson’s Foundation says local chapters connect people with Parkinson’s and caregivers to support groups, classes, educational programs and other resources. In a town like Oxford, those connections matter because they can help families learn what therapies may be available locally and what questions to ask as care changes over time.

The local need is not small. NINDS says Parkinson’s affects between 500,000 and 1 million Americans, and CDC mortality reporting has tracked Parkinson disease deaths among adults age 65 and older. CDC data brief findings also show men have had death rates about twice as high as women throughout 2014 to 2024. Oxford has seen Parkinson’s-related organizing before, including an Oxford YMCA Parkinson’s Support Program reported in 2018, a sign that the demand for exercise, education and caregiver support has been building for years.