Jane Elliott BBC News Online health staff

Parkinson's Disease experts have come up with a novel way of ensuring everyone gets the message about the condition - Parkinsonpoly.

Set out like a board game, Parkinsonpoly offers information and advice for sufferers and their families and carers.

A study of people with the disease showed that they and their families often suffer from an information overload.

Experts say using the board game formula with its different squares helps cut through the mass of conflicting and often confusing information sources on the disease, and provides people with essential and up-to-date information.

Tools

By using visual mnemonics, such as a pipe blocked with lime scale to explain atherosclerosis (narrowed arteries) the 'board game' helps explain conditions.

They also provide visual prompts to help patients remember their treatments and to help doctors remember appointments.

The education tools include a website, series of patient booklets and other patient materials.

The Parkinsonpoly concept is a novel and interesting approach Robert Meadowcroft, of the Parkinson Disease Society

Parkinsonpoly has already proved popular with those who have tested it.

David Jones, Chairman of Next, who has had Parkinson's since 1982, said Parkinsonpoly could prove a good aid both to patients, carers and the general public.

"I was intrigued. It was quite good. It was very tasteful

"The important thing is that people who have Parkinson's do not like admitting they have it and people who do not have it don't know what it is.

"Anything that develops the knowledge is a good thing. I bore people to death by talking to them all the time," he said.

Dr Mark Stacy, director of movement disorders, at Duke University School of Medicine, North Carolina, US, said Parkinsonpoly would be particularly useful in alerting patients to changes that could be needed in their medication.

"The most effective treatment of Parkinson's Disease symptoms is levodopa.

"It can provide benefit throughout the entire course of the disease and has consistently demonstrated to have a positive effect on the quality of life and significantly prolongs life expectancy.

"However, people with Parkinson's Disease often experience a decline or wearing-off of its clinical effects, that may produce changes in mobility, mood and sensation.

Resources

"They need to have regular physician assessments and be educated to medication changes associated with anti-Parkinson therapy.

"For this reason it is essential to alert patients to the need to review their medicines, and ensure that these re-emergency symptoms are optimised to maintain their quality of life.

"Parkinsonpoly is a resource that can deliver this essential information."

Robert Meadowcroft, director of policy, research and information at the Parkinson Disease Society agreed: "The Parkinson's Disease Society believes that all people with Parkinson's and their families, friends and carers should have access to appropriate and reliable information and support.