April Cognitive Kit: Parkinson’s Awareness Month

Welcome to our April Cognitive Kit! April honors Parkinson’s Awareness Month and this month, we are sharing a book recommendation, movie night recommendation, drawing page, activity tracker, and some additional resources and further reading.

Click on the files below to download and print any of the exercises and if you’d like to, please tag us on social media when you’re finished. We’d love to see your completed activities!

Book Recommendation:

A Son’s Journey from Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver to Advocate by Dr. George Matthew Ackerman (2024)

“A Son’s Journey from Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver to Advocate. This book is, first, a memoir of and praise for my mother, Sharon, who was my best friend through both our lives and explores her journey with PD. The book is a heartfelt recollection of the beginnings of her Parkinson’s disease symptoms and my caregiving to support through her battle with PD.

However, I also want to reach those who are not aware of Parkinson’s throughout the world. Until we ensure that others outside the local or regional Parkinson’s community are made aware, a cure will be further from our grasp. Others, too, may find the book helpful, especially for those suffering from associated diseases.” (Summary from Amazon)

You can find A Son’s Journey from Parkinson’s Disease Caregiver to Advocate at your local library, or on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and more.

Movie Night Recommendation:

If you’re having a movie night with loved ones or friends soon, we recommend One in 37 (2024), a documentary by Cure Parkinson’s NZ on YouTube.

“Our full-length, 60-min documentary tells the personal stories of five individuals living with Parkinson’s disease and highlights the New Zealand research effort to develop therapies that can stop or slow disease progression. It also breaks down some of the myths and misunderstandings surrounding Parkinson’s disease. A cure is a very real possibility, it is just a matter of when.” (Summary from onein37.org.nz)

Reflection Questions:

What did you learn from this film? What were you most surprised to learn?
What is something from the film you think is important for everyone to know?
What questions, if any, do you still have after watching the film?

You can download the reflection questions here: April 2025 Cognitive Kit Reflection Page

Drawing Page:

This month, we are featuring a drawing page, rather than a picture or template, to be more accessible for individuals who experience symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease.

You can download this month’s drawing page here: April 2025 Cognitive Kit Drawing Page

Activity Tracker:

This month, we are encouraging everyone to spend time outdoors once a week. This month’s kit features an activity tracker where you can track the number of times you went outside as well as the activities you did. If you’re not sure what to do, the tracker has several suggested outdoor activities to choose from.

You can download this month’s activity tracker here: April 2025 Cognitive Kit Activity Tracker