Having Parkinson’s doesn’t mean you have to stop working. Work is important for many reasons, not just income. Many people really enjoy their work and gain great rewards such as self-esteem, confidence, positive routines, connection to others and personal satisfaction. If you need to or want to carry on working perhaps small changes could be made to accommodate your particular needs. Your employer has a legal duty to provide ‘reasonable adjustments’ to support you if necessary.
However, if you decide to stop working it is important to consider the implications, such as the financial and emotional impact. It is worth knowing that sometimes when people are first diagnosed it can take a while for the treatment to become effective. On some occasions for certain people the first type of medications given may be ineffective. However, changing to a different type may do the trick. Therefore, it is very important not to make any rash decisions before the medication effect has
stabilised.