Skip to main content

Neuro Note 4: Parkinson’s Disease

 Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that causes shaking, stiffness, and problems with coordination. 

Here are some of the quick facts: 

  • Parkinson’s Disease affects more men than women 
  • One of the main risk factors includes an increase in age, especially the ages of 60 and above 
  • Occurs when the neurons responsible for movement die or become impaired 
  • There is no cure, however, medications, surgery, and/or therapies can be beneficial for symptoms 
  • Parkinson’s Disease results in trouble producing neurotransmitters such as Dopamine and Norepinephrine 

Now that we have covered the basics, here are 10 extra resources available to learn more about Parkinson’s Disease:

  1. For a brief overview of the disease, and to gain basic knowledge, click here: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/parkinsons-disease
  2. Click here to learn more about the symptoms associated with Parkinson’s: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055
  3. For statistics associated with Parkinson’s, as well as the risk of COVID 19 for individuals with Parkinson’s, click here:   https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons
  4. Click here to explore the different stages of Parkinson’s: https://parkinsonsdisease.net/basics/stages/
  5. Click here to watch a Ted Talk discussing the designs that can be implemented for individuals with Parkinson’s: https://www.ted.com/talks/mileha_soneji_simple_hacks_for_life_with_parkinson_s?language=en
  6. For interventions used specifically in Occupational Therapy for individuals with Parkinson’s, click here: http://www3.parkinson.org/Chicago/Benefits%20of%20Occupational%20Therapy%20-%20Jessica%20Doane-Swanson.pdf
  7. Click here for a list of ideas for adaptive equipment for individuals with Parkinson’s: https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/community-recommendations-assistance-products-parkinsons-disease
  8. Click here for a list of risk factors related to Parkinson’s: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/parkinsons-disease/parkinsons-disease-risk-factors-and-causes
  9. To learn more about the medications used to help treat the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s, click here: https://healthblog.uofmhealth.org/health-management/13-medications-to-help-control-parkinsons-disease-symptoms
  10. Click here to understand how Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease play a role with one another: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/types-of-dementia/parkinson-s-disease-dementia


I hope these resources help you better understand Parkinson’s Disease, and the large, unique role Occupational Therapy can play in the treatment process. 



References 

Parkinson's Disease. (n.d.). Retrieved August 09, 2020, from https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/parkinsons
disease


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Neuro Note 2: Isolation and Addiction

In order to learn more about the brain and it's role in social isolation, I watched the TedxMidAtlantic Talk with Rachel Wurzman. She focuses on a specific area of the brain, the striatum, which she believes helps us better understand our body's habits and urges when social isolation begins to take its toll on our overall well-being. The striatum is an area of the brain responsible for voluntary movement and control. Studies have shown that the striatum actually contains neurons which are related to our movement and reward, more specifically, our social interaction and the internal reward that comes as a result. Rachel goes on to explain the many different social isolation situations that can severely impact our need for reward such as social media comparison and trouble connecting with others because of physical differences. However, due to current events, my mind couldn't help but relate everything she spoke about with COVID-19 and social distancing. (We will circle ba...
Post a Comment
Read more

Knowledge Check #14

The AOTA’s Model of Continuing Competency is an essential part of growing as an OT Practitioner and current student. The document encourages Practitioners to engage in professional development, mentor ship and continuing education. Not only do these activities benefit the OT, but can also play a major role in current students education and learning experience. Key words such as Contact Hours and Continuing Education Units can help the practitioner measure how many learning activities and continuing education activities they are engaging in over time. It is necessary to keep up with these hours in order to meet requirements established by organizations such as AOTA.   I do believe in the importance of continuing education and professional development for all professions. However, what makes health care specifically stand out, and in OT specifically, is the fact that we are centered around becoming Evidence Based Practitioners. It is vital for patients to be given the most appropri...
Post a Comment
Read more

Transfers

The term “mobility” is defined as having controlled instability. The order in which we are able to restore confidence in mobility based on increasing activity demands is as follows: Bed mobility, mat transfers, wheelchair transfers, bed transfers, functional ambulation for ADL’s, toilet and tub transfers, car transfer, functional ambulation, and community mobility and driving. I do believe this is a logical order once you begin to examine what an individual must do, and is able to do, in order to perform certain tasks. For example, we wouldn’t want to begin working with a patient getting out of their car when they cannot even get out of their bed safely. I do believe I have seen this approach used in much of my job shadowing experience, specifically when the therapist is working on getting the client out of the bed and then safely to the bathroom. Many times, the therapist would work consistently on getting the patient out of bed safely, and if they were able to do so, move on to the...
Post a Comment
Read more