Drawing From Experience When Treating Parkinson Disease: Temitope Lawal, MD
The neurologist and movement disorders fellow at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center spoke about how his experience as a caregiver shapes his perspective as a doctor in care for those with movement disorders. [WATCH TIME: 3 minutes]
WATCH TIME: 3 minutes
“People live with Parkinson’s disease; they don’t die of Parkinson’s disease. Particularly in this age, now, we have so many therapeutic modalities available for patients with movement disorders. This is the best time to be in this field, where we can provide optimal care.”
When it comes to the care of individuals with chronic disease, such as those with Parkinson disease (PD), oftentimes the care paradigm extends beyond that of just the physician-patient relationship. Caregivers and/or family members are many times also involved in the management process of the disease, and this can lead to burdens on them in addition to the patients. Many studies have discussed the role caregiver burden can play in care for these patient populations.
Temitope Lawal, MD, a neurologist and movement disorders fellow at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, has a unique perspective on this portion of health care for these patients. Lawal’s father was a patient with PD, and he spent time as a caregiver along with his other family members for his father. While attending the recent inaugural Advanced Therapeutics in Movement and Related Disorders (ATMRD) Congress, held in mid-June 2022, in Washington, DC, he spoke with the PMD Alliance, who held the ATMRD Congress along with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, about this experience.
Lawal detailed his background as a caregiver and how it ultimately has impacted his perspective as a physician. He also shared how it motivates his approach to care and how it encourages the progress being made in the field.
