Occupational therapy for Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson's disease is a very common disorder in our country. According to the latest World Health Organisation (WHO) data published in 2020, Parkinson's disease deaths in Bangladesh reached 3,782 or 0.53% of total deaths. In Bangladesh, death rank is 125 among the world.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balance, and coordination.

Symptoms may vary from mild to severe. Some common symptoms are given below:

• Bradykinesia or slowness of movement

• Tremor

• Postural imbalance

• Speech difficulty 

• Writing problem 

• Dementia

• Emotional changes

• Memory training 

Occupation means activity. An occupational therapist helps to make their life independent in their daily activities. Regular exercises may increase the thinking power. It can increase patients's cognitive skills.

According to the patient's condition, the occupational therapist provides the following therapy:

• Functional gait retraining

• Functional balancing exercises 

• Practice bilateral hand activity

• Practice fine motor skills

• ADL's training like dressing, eating, grooming, etc.

• Practice writing 

• Falling intervention by modifying their home. e.g., bathroom/kitchen/bedroom      modification

• Educate patients about energy conservation techniques

• In the late stage, educate the patient and their carer about appropriate transferring techniques

• Engaging the patients in leisure activities to refresh their minds, like gardening,      watching movies, or visiting their relatives house or other places

• Moderate to Strong evidence for targeted physical activity training that addressed motor performance, postural stability, and balance

An occupational therapist helps to search for the right equipment to help with difficulties.

Though Parkinson's disease is a degenerative neurological condition, research has consistently found certain types of interventions improve function. Additionally, continuation of services is crucial to maintaining therapeutic gains.

Interventions for individuals with Parkinson's disease consistently fall into three categories:

(1) exercise or physical activity,

(2) environmental cues, stimuli, and objects, and

(3) self-management and cognitive behavioural strategies.

Clinical application points to the provision of intervention that focuses on targeted physical activity to address specific functional outcomes.

When you have patients with Parkinson's disease, then contact a qualified occupational therapist. S/he can help your patient become independent in day-to-day activities.

The writer is an occupational therapist at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospitals (NINS&H). Email: rabeya1988@gmail.com