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Help Managing
Parkinson's Disease
By
Joan Wright |
 Norwell
- When Michael J. Fox announced he had Parkinson’s
disease, there was as much shock about his age as there was
about his condition. After all, he was only 37 and he
disclosed he had been diagnosed at age 30.
Like other neurological diseases, Parkinson’s has an early
onset incidence that has had an alarming growth in cases
under age 50 in recent years. But it was his youthful face
and optimism that put Parkinson’s disease in the headlines
and necessary focus for research and support.
Most Parkinson’s cases are diagnosed after the age of 60,
with women and men equally affected. Today, more than 1.5
million Americans have the disease. A neurological condition
that causes both motor and non-motor symptoms, the cause of
Parkinson’s is still unknown. Primary symptoms include
tremor (shaking), slowness of movement, rigidity (stiffness)
and difficulty with balance. People may have a shuffling
gait, loss of facial mobility where the face appears to be
expressionless and difficulty with speech. Secondary
symptoms also may include depression and confusion. Some
cases of Parkinson’s also have a dementia component.
To date there is no cure, but there are medications that
manage the symptoms, and for some, there may be surgical
options to reduce symptoms. Connecting with a good physician
is paramount to managing Parkinson’s disease. And working
with physical, occupational and speech therapists can be
extremely beneficial.
Therapists can help customize exercise programs that target
the strength, mobility and flexibility concerns of the
individual with Parkinson’s. While the benefits of exercise
are the same as for anyone, people with Parkinson’s learn to
self-manage their own disease through an exercise program,
increase their confidence and energy level and improve their
quality of life.
Setting a regular schedule to exercise keeps one on task.
But just as important is engaging the support of family
members and friends. Exercising with a “buddy” helps with
motivation and provides one’s family or caregivers an
opportunity to share in “fighting” the disease.
Exercises can be divided into three categories: motion
exercises, stretching and strengthening. Motion and
stretching exercises can be done safely every day.
Strengthening exercises should be performed three to four
times a week. Of course, consulting with one’s physician or
physical therapist should be done before any exercise
program is started.
Boston University has the country’s first National Resource
Center for Rehabilitation with support from the American
Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA). A toll-free helpline
offers assistance and advice on exercise programs. The
toll-free number is (888) 606-1688. Information about
various community support programs can also be found on the
website: http://www. bu.edu/neurorehab/resource-center/.
Support groups are also a wonderful resource of information
for individuals with Parkinson’s as well as for their
families and caregivers. Contacting your local visiting
nurse association or council on aging can direct you to
local resources available.
Like anything, education is the key to this disease, and
that starts with pursuing symptoms with one’s physician,
investigating available tests and connecting with accessible
resources. Early diagnosis helps with steadying the progress
and management of Parkinson’s. There may not be an answer as
to why one gets this disease, but there are many answers as
to how one can find help. For more information on
Parkinson’s in general, visit www.apdaparkinson.org or
www.Parkinson.org. |
About The Author
Joan Wright,
CMC, a certified geriatric care manager, is a member of
Norwell VNA and Hospice’s Alzheimer’s Care Specialty Team
and geriatric care management team. She co-facilitates NVNA
and Hospice’s support groups for caregivers of early, mid
and late stage Alzheimer’s. For more information on NVNA and
Hospice and all of its programs, you may call (781)659-2342
or visit the agency’s web site at www.nvna.org.
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