Pushparatnam received a Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2013 at age 38. With a background in mobile technology, he wanted to develop an app that would help other patients manage their symptoms on a day-to-day basis and feel more in control of their lives.

I also wanted people to better understand their Parkinson’s. I wanted both the big picture and the individual portrait.

Parkinson’s On is free to download from both Google Play and the Apple App Store.

The anonymised data gleaned from Parkinson’s ON app is starting to paint that big picture,” said Pushparatnam, who co-hosts a podcast called ‘2 Parkies in a Pod.’ “I’ve always believed tech, when done right, can be a great enabler in daily life,” Pushparatnam said. “So, I set out to build a simple, ‘Parky-friendly’ app that would not only empower those of us living with the condition, but ultimately allow for a better, modre informed quality of care.” Pushparatnam self-funded the app’s launch last year. Since then, with funding from Parkinson’s UK, the app has been updated and expanded. Parkinson’s UK is a member organisation of Parkinson’s Europe. Users can stay on time with their medication through simple setup, reminders for what medication to take and when, and one-click logging to track when the medication is taken. They can also stay on track by completing daily check-ins to rate their symptoms and log daily activities.

A personalised dashboard shows trends in treatment adherence, symptoms, and daily activities, along with access to special content like a ‘Yoga for Parkinson’s’ series, strategies to help with anxiety and sleep problems, and bonus episodes of the ‘2 Parkies in a Pod’ podcast. Features include a diary, a shareable medication card, and an audio format for news and research. The app also helps users plan mealtimes around their medication and track off periods, which are times when medication stops working well and symptoms return.

Parkinson’s On is free to download from both Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Sources: Original article by Margarida Maia, PhD

Parkinson’s News Today, Parkinson’s Europe, Parkinson’s UK