Tartu Parkinson's Disease Society (TPDS) is created in 1995.
Members of TPDS are:
- patients
- their relatives and carers
- medical professionals
Activities:
- meetings and conferences (Parkinson's Disease Day yearly)
- education (booklets etc)
- rehabilitation
- entertainment
- travel
- participation in the research projects
The Parkinson's Disease Society has an important role for the patients and their carers as a source of the information about the disease and the treatment availabilities, and also as an organizer of the social activities and rehabilitation. Every year many events have been organized by Parkinson's Disease Society: meetings and conferences, also travels and entertainment. Traditionally every year in April the Parkinson's Diease Day is celebrated in Tartu with the conference followed by dinner. Every summer the three-day summer-meeting is organized in nice Karaski Social Rehabilitation Centre. Some general meetings with lectures and coffee take place per year in Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Tartu University. Every month there are coffee-mornings for the TPDS members for talking with friends not only about PD but also everyday activities, hobbies and families. At the end of the year Christmas is celebrated together.
Parkinson's Disease Society has an important role as a joint from one side for patients, their families and carers, and from other side for doctors, other medical professionals and scientifical researchers.
Tartu Parkinson's Disease Society is closely related to the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Tartu University which has experience in research work of movement diseases. Most of the presentations in the TPDS conferences and rehabilitation seminars have been held and the educational booklets have been written by the doctors of this department. In the recent years there has been carried out epidemiological survey of Parkinson's disease in South Estonia, in 1999 the new projects have been started to investigate quality of life of Parkinson's patients (in collaboration with the Health Care Institute) and dynamic strength in Parkinson's disease (in co-operation with the Institute of Physiology). Over 1000 Parkinson's disease patients in Estonia will be joined in the DNA investigation.
Parkinson's Disease Society is a member of the Chamber of Disabled People. This organization founded in 1992 joins many associations and societies of people with chronic diseases. In field of neurological diseases have been founded societies for patients with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and and PCI.