by Sara Houston University of Roehampton
As cases of Parkinson’s Disease rise in Europe, there is an urgency to reduce its burden on those living with Parkinson’s and on health services. Whilst the search for a cure is on-going, and the use of medication is an on-going experiment for many people, the engagement with non-pharmaceutical interventions is imperative. Under this topic, the 2024 Policy Framework to Reduce the Burden of Neurodegenerative Diseases in Europe and Beyond notes the important role that non-pharmaceutical interventions play. In exploring in detail the contribution of arts practices, in particular dancing, this paper argues that they have a potentially impactful role to play as non-pharmaceutical interventions for people with Parkinson’s.