Adapting your workplace or adjusting your routine can be effective in enabling you to continue working without compromising your performance or causing undue strain on your employer. How successful adjustments and adaptations are will vary from one person to another. For some it may not be practical or feasible to adjust their environment or work pattern, but in a large number of cases some changes can be successfully made.
Support from your employer can make a huge difference. For example, one employer permitted his staff member with Parkinson’s to use a folding bed in the stockroom for napping during his lunch hour so as to reduce fatigue and enable him to continue working. Your employer may be prepared to let you alter your work pattern and perhaps reduce your hours, job share or work from home, for example.
It might be helpful to think about the following when deciding if adjustments would be reasonable or helpful:
- the nature of the problems you are experiencing
- the nature of your work and how these limitations affect your performance and impact on your employer
- how long you have worked for your employer
- how much time and money has been invested in you
- the skills and knowledge you have
- your relationship with both clients and colleagues
- your salary in relation to the cost of adaptations or training up someone else to do your job
- any practical limitations, such as space
- the company’s ability to absorb the costs of adaptations and any disruption caused during modifications
- the effectiveness, now and in the future, of any adjustments in enabling you to continue working.
The following are just some of the adaptations or adjustments that you and your employer might consider making. This is certainly not an exhaustive list but may be helpful when planning ahead.
Work station:
- an ergonomic desk set up with arm supports
- writing and grip aids
- keyboard guard
- hands-free phone
- speech amplification or other speech enhancing equipment
- voice recognition software to reduce typing required (very helpful and much cheaper than a dictaphone. They are now mainly digital and are light to carry around)
- a good chair that is both comfortable and solidly built, particularly if you experience dyskinesia
Access and movement:
- providing parking close to place of work
- minimising the amount of walking required when at work by centralising your work station with other equipment you may need to use regularly
- hand or grab rails at appropriate places in the work environment and toilet areas
- automatic door openers and easy access entrance
- reducing or eliminating parts of job that are physically exerting, replacing them with more manageable tasks
- removing specific tasks that are difficult, such as those requiring fine motor skills or coordination
Fatigue:
- scheduling some rest time into the day, perhaps a shorter lunch break to allow you to leave earlier
- introducing part-time work schedule
- allowing flexible working hours, working from home and flexible use of holiday time
Emotional and psychological:
- educating other staff members about Parkinson’s and the importance of being supportive
- allowing time off for medical appointments, including counselling
- trying to reduce stressful elements of the job
- providing help in referring to support services both internally and externally
Cognitive:
- minimising distractions, such as TV screens or radios
- ensuring clear instructions are given as well as regular reminders of meetings etc.
- provision memory aids, such a planners and wall schedules
