Shared from parkinsonsnewstoday.com.
Occupational therapy is used to help people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to continue with their daily tasks as the disease progresses. Occupational therapists can help evaluate and plan these activities that are crucial to the well-being and independence of people with PD.
How can an occupational therapist help?
Occupational therapists are specialists who promote health and well-being. In PD, their primary objective is to enable patients to participate in the activities of everyday life by working with them to improve their ability to engage in tasks they want to, need to, or are expected to do. In many cases, this may require modifying an occupation (task) or the environment to better support occupational engagement.
These therapists provide assessment, treatment, and recommendations in areas such as:
- Mobility: This includes helping people with PD concentrate on walking, avoiding all non-essential talking when moving, pausing when speaking, and touching something solid to aid balance while walking and standing. Occupational therapists also teach patients how to change direction without abrupt turns to optimize stability. They may also check for the need of walking aids and home modifications.