Prognosis for Parkinson's: How to Improve Daily Living with the Disease

Posted: Published on December 23rd, 2014

This post was added by Dr Simmons

Make sure to stay tuned for Part 2 of the series Prognosis for Parkinson's. Tomorrow features some of the latest treatments for Parkinson's disease, as well as those still in the clinical trial phase.

Every day, medical advancements make life a little easier for those living with illnesses. This week, Time Warner Cable News will be bringing you a five-part series called Prognosis for Parkinson's. The series will discuss new treatment options, the importance of physical fitness and support for caregivers. In this first part, reporter Katie Gibas provides some tips on how to improve daily living with Parkinson's disease.

Norman Hunneyman was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease five years ago, the brain disorder that leads to shaking and difficulty with movement and coordination, as well as depression and other non-motor symptoms.

"You can see that I have a sense of humor and that's very important when you have these illnesses, to keep that sense of humor," said Hunneyman, of Sackets Harbor. "Don't take yourself too seriously. They may think that because I have a sense of humor, I don't realize what the hell this disease really is. It's awful and it's no walk in the rose garden. But you can make it a lot easier if you're so inclined to do it. But you have to get up and do it for yourself. No one's going to do it for you."

And there are a lot of things you can do yourself.

First, it's important to work with both a physical therapist and an occupational therapist to get into an exercise routine to improve your strength and balance.

"Making sure they're getting big movements so their feet are clearing the floor. Making sure there's not throw rugs all around so there's not something they can trip over. No electrical cords going across the hallway," said Leslie Schwarz, a physical therapist at Upstate University Hospital.

"We think about different energy conservation techniques that people can use to help with fatigue, maybe sitting down when you're getting dressed, sitting down when you're doing things in the kitchen," said Marsha Eggleston, an occupational therapist at Upstate University Hospital. "We practice getting dressed. We also have adaptive equipment people can use. If they have shoulder limitations or difficulty bending over, we have different strategies we can use."

Adaptive equipment can include a hospital bed, railings around the house, a cane and button or zipper pulls to help with dressing, as well as night lights to see in the dark.

Experts say it's also important to plan out your movement.

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Prognosis for Parkinson's: How to Improve Daily Living with the Disease

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