​Could Occupational Therapy be Beneficial for Your Senior with Parkinson's Disease?

Homecare Wilmette IL
 
For many people the word "occupation" immediately brings to mind thoughts of a job or a career. Therefore when they think of "occupational therapy" they think of a form of therapy designed to help people who have suffered an illness or injury adapt and retrain their bodies to handle the tasks of their job. This, however, is not the only way that occupational therapy can help people. If you are a caregiver for one of the one million adults throughout the United States who are suffering from Parkinson's disease, or one of the approximately 60,000 who will receive a diagnosis of this disease at some point this year, you may find that occupational therapy can actually be one of the most valuable tools that you can use to help enhance your parent's life and give them more ability to maintain independence as they age in place.  
 
The reality is that an "occupation" is just something that occupies your time. It could be a career, but it could also be your favorite hobby, pastime, or leisure activity. It could also be tasks around the home. Whatever it is that fills up your time is your "occupation", and for some their challenges and limitations make it more difficult to handle them as they progress through PD. Occupational therapy, however, may be able to help.  

Some ways that occupational therapy could be beneficial for a senior with Parkinson's disease include: 

• Modified activities. Just because your parent might not be able to do things in the same way that they always have does not necessarily mean that they are not able to do those tasks at all. Occupational therapy can help your loved one learn to modify basic tasks in their life so that they can continue to take them on as independently as possible.
 
• Assist with adaptive devices. Adaptive devices are items designed specifically to address challenges and limitations. These enable your parent to "adapt" to the challenges and work around them to still handle their occupation for that moment. Occupational therapy can help them to understand what types of adaptive devices are available, and how to use them effectively in the course of their life. These can be items such as weighted utensils, bookstands, clothing tools, or weights to reduce tremor.
 
• Coping mechanisms. Some of the greatest challenges that your aging parent might face in their progression with PD are ones that you cannot see. The slowed movements of bradykinesia, for example, can impact your parent's ability to reason quickly or respond in what seems like an appropriate length of time. Occupational therapy can offer coping mechanisms to deal with these challenges so that your parent can go about their life in the best way possible.  
 
Starting homecare can be one of the best choices that you can make for an elderly adult who is dealing with Parkinson's disease. This condition is progressive, meaning that your elderly parent will simply continue to experience new and worsened symptoms as the get older and move further into the disease. Having an in homecare services provider means that they will receive personalized care tailored specifically to their needs, challenges, and limitations that also promotes independence, activity, and individuality. This means that your parent can enjoy a higher, more fulfilling quality of life as they age in place.  
 
http://www.parkinson.org/find-help/blogs/expert-care-experience/occupational-therapy  

If you or an aging loved one are considering Homecare Services Wilmette IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

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