P-1182 - new Strategies for Living Well Among Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

Introduction

Living with Parkinson disease is a daily challenge. A program of physical therapy and occupational therapy can help people; rehabilitation therapy enhances the lives of people with Parkinson's disease. The goal of this paper is to improve PD patients' independence and quality of life by improving movement, function and relieving pain.

Method

study that looked at the use of this therapy in PD patients assessed the effects of a 6-week rehabilitation program; Over 10 treatment sessions (30 minutes each) considered both motor and cognitive training including learning about new movement techniques strategies and equipments. A physical therapist can teach exercises to strengthen and loosen muscles. Many of these exercises can be performed at home.

Results

At the end of the 6-week training period, patients showed a significant improvement on several standardized cognitive tests of creativity and memory. Allowing patients to enjoy their meals helps them maintain their independence and self-respect. Certain forms of speech therapy can also be valuable in improving voice problems. Such therapy can also help increase their endurance, strength, general fitness, energy level, elevate their mood and even decrease their anxiety. They also demonstated significant improvement in abilities such as organizing performance of a task compared to those who did not receive the treatment. This improvement was independent of individuals' age, intelligence or health.

Conclusion

Physical therapy cannot cure Parkinson's disease, because at this time, neurological damage cannot be reversed. But therapy can enable patients to compensate for the changes brought about by the condition.