Finding out a friend, family member or co-worker has Parkinson’s disease is devastating, however, despite our best intentions, we can often accidentally say something that may be offensive or hurtful. What the person really wants to hear is that you’re there for them and thinking of them.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of things you should say to a person who has been living with Parkinson’s disease:

“I’ll do that for you!”

The “that” could be anything that you know the person would find helpful, from fetching groceries to giving them a ride to the hospital to cooking them dinner. Actions speak louder than words and even just one act of kindness can help them out immensely, especially if they’re feeling ill following a treatment session.

What is Parkinson’s disease? Find out more about the disease’s pathology.