Rehabilitation Therapy for Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's is a disease that affects the neuron pathways of the brain. It can cause sufferers to tremble and shake uncontrollably, lose motor functioning, and make speech unintelligible. Rehabilitation programs should include occupational, physical, and speech therapy to alleviate and slow down the progression of this disease.

Occupational

• Occupational therapy input is the cornerstone for any good rehabilitation program for people living with Parkinson's disease. It is vital in helping sufferers maintain their independence by improving dexterity and coordination through fine and gross motor exercises that focus on targeting specific areas, such as the hands, arms, and neck. Occupational therapy also helps those in later stages of the disease learn new ways of doing everyday tasks such as eating with utensils, which for many with Parkinson's is very difficult due to the tremors they experience. When handwriting becomes very labored or even impossible therapists can help with keyboarding skills and introduce adaptive equipment that can still allow patients to communicate as they always have.

Physical

• Physical therapy is also an important factor in any Parkinson's rehab program. Physical therapy can help patients not only maintain their motor skills but in some cases increase those skills. A common practice is to have patients verbally say aloud what movement they intend to make before actually attempting the movement. This is done to help the patients focus on what they intend to do and helps their brain make the connections that the disease often prevents. Exercise is also a great way to help motor functioning. Many physical therapy programs involve forced movement where patients are put on a treadmill and told to maintain a pace. They are assisted by a therapist if the movement becomes difficult or impossible. This is done to help reawaken the neurons in the brain that once allowed these simple movements without pause.

Speech

• Parkinson's, and especially later stages of the disease, can effect the your speech and how well others understand you. Speech therapy may be needed to help lessen these effects. It teaches a lot of coping strategies, such as practicing slowing down your speech and speaking in a quiet environment. People with later stage Parkinson's have a hard enough time being understood without competing with background noise, such as TVs and radios. Speech therapy can also teach patients ways to sit and hold your head, so that there is as less stress as possible placed on the mouth and face when speaking. Nonverbal communicating strategies can also be given if necessary.