The Parkinson's Universe: A person-centered care model for Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is the fastest growing neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, yet care delivery remains fragmented and inequitable. We propose a new construct called the Parkinson's Universe. It is a person-centered model that reimagines care as a coordinated universe. This commentary summarizes the model's elements including the patient as the sun or center of the universe, the caregiver as Mercury, the social support and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals as the other planets, mission control as care coordination, stigma as Pluto, barriers as asteroids, supportive technology as satellites, and support networks as stars. We discuss clinical and policy implications, emphasizing the urgent need to move beyond the fragmented gatekeeper system to one that is proactive, equitable, and holistic. As such, the Parkinson's Universe provides a blueprint for integrating innovation, advocacy, and multidisciplinary care. The model also has relevance across other complex chronic diseases.