The spouse of a patient newly diagnosed with mild, unilateral symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD) asks the nurse what, besides medication, can be done to manage the disease. The nurse will:

tell the spouse that medication therapy can be curative if drugs are begun in time.

recommend exercise, nutritional counseling, and group support to help manage the disease.

tell the spouse that the disease will not progress if mild symptoms are treated early.

counsel the spouse that parkinsonism is a normal part of the aging process in some people.