Healthy Living Series
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurological condition that occurs when certain neurons in the brain die or become impaired. These nerve cells produce dopamine, the chemical responsible for coordinated muscle function. According to the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF), approximately 60,000 new cases of PD are diagnosed each year, joining the 1.5 million Americans who have the disease. The condition usually affects those over age 65.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease:
Tremors are the most common symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Tremors are often the first symptom. Usually the early symptoms are mild and affect one side of the body. Slow movement, stiffness and challenges with balance are also symptoms, as are shuffling gait, frozen facial expressions, muffled speech patterns, and depression.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease progress and worsen over time.
Increased tremors affect dexterity, while movement slows considerably (called bradykinesia). These physical changes impact activities of daily living like getting dressed, bathing or getting in/out of bed. An individual’s posture may begin to stoop, as the head and shoulders press forward to compensate for the apparent lack of balance. Some individual’s living with Parkinson’s may also develop dementia late in the process. Because there is so much variability among individuals in how the disease progresses, health care providers are not able to accurately predict how quickly symptoms will worsen, or even which specific symptoms will develop for each client. This makes Parkinson’s disease in older adults a difficult disease to diagnose properly.
Parkinson’s disease in older adults is not easily diagnosed, as neither x-rays nor blood tests reveal the condition. Blood tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are often used to eliminate other conditions.
How Can Select Wellness and Therapy Professionals Help?
- Your Select Wellness and Rehab team is specially trained to help adults with a broad range of conditions that affect their ability to participate in physical activity and exercise
- Your Select Wellness and Rehab team can identify lifestyle changes that can decrease the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and facilitate physical activity
Therapists can provide a range of treatment options including:
- Managing symptoms, such as balance deficits, stiffness and gait deviations
- Improving joint mobility and flexibility
- Suggesting appropriate assistive devices
- Educating patients, families and caregivers
For additional information, please contact Kala S, KCH Director of Campus Life(316-283-6600) and she will collaborate with you and our in-house Select Rehabilitation Physical, Occupational and Speech therapist team.