How can it help people with Parkinson’s and their family / carer?

Many of the physical, emotional and other consequences of living with Parkinson’s can be addressed through occupational therapy. This can be done using one or a combination of the following methods:

teaching easier or safer ways to do difficult tasks or activities
advising about, or providing special equipment to make life easier or safer
arranging adaptation or modification of the home or work environment.

An occupational therapist will assess a person’s daily routines and often their home, work and leisure activities. They will then identify possible solutions to the obstacles hindering these tasks.

Some of these obstacles may include:

physical or mental fatigue
emotional issues, such as depression
restrictions in the physical and social environment
the stage and symptoms of Parkinson’s
reduced motivation
medication regimes.

By addressing the problems related to these obstacles, an occupational therapist can enable a person with Parkinson’s to maintain as much independence as possible, and adapt more effectively as the condition changes. Ideally, referral to an occupational therapy service will be made as soon as difficulties with daily tasks begin to develop, so that treatment can be started promptly. Because Parkinson’s symptoms gradually increase with time, episodes of treatment with an occupational therapist are likely to be required over the coming years.

Occupational therapy – the early stages of Parkinson’s

In the early stages following being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, occupational therapy intervention will usually focus on establishing a working relationship between therapist and client. This is a good time for an occupational therapist to advise about ways to maintain independence, and to overcome obstacles caused by living with Parkinson’s. This may help to prevent some problems before they arise, or improve abilities in tasks or activities that are starting to become more difficult.

Occupational therapy – as Parkinson’s progresses

Over the course of the years Parkinson’s symptoms may develop and necessitate changes in the person’s overall lifestyle. In this case an occupational therapist can help them to make constructive changes. This can be done by advising about the options available to organise the home, daily routines and other activities in ways that encourage independence, safety and confidence for as long as possible.

Some of the areas that may be of most concern as Parkinson’s progresses are:

difficulties remembering, or organising the taking of medication on time and as prescribed
coping with side-effects of medication – such as doses wearing off too soon, “on-off” fluctuations in ability to move, and episodes of wriggling or restlessness, also known as ‘dyskinesia’
difficulties starting to walk, sometimes called ‘start hesitation’, or the feet suddenly stopping moving when walking, known as ‘freezing’
balance problems that may cause falls
problems communicating and being understood
problems with sleeping, using the toilet at night and getting in and out of bed.

In such situations an occupational therapist can teach methods that will enable particular tasks and activities to be done more easily. For example, to help someone dress themselves more easily, an occupational therapist can advise about planning, gathering and organising the sequence of garments in advance, suggesting the person sits down to dress and use some simple methods to help concentration and flow of movements during the task.

An occupational therapist can also help choose special gadgets, equipment and environmental modifications that may also be useful at this stage. These include gadgets to make handwriting, cooking or washing easier, or items to move around at home more safely and easily, such as hand rails, stair lifts and items to help get in and out of bed.

Occupational therapy and carers

Occupational therapists can advise family members and others who help care for someone with Parkinson’s about issues relating to the person they are caring for, as well as about maintaining their own health. The occupational therapist may work with them to develop new ways of doing familiar tasks, thus reducing reliance and pressure on themselves.

To ensure the success of occupational therapy treatment and to help maintain the independence of a person with Parkinson’s, it is important that family members and others supporting them understand any changes the occupational therapist recommends to usual routines. As long as it is agreed with the person who has Parkinson’s, an occupational therapist will usually welcome the involvement and participation of family and other relevant people during a course of treatment sessions. If family members or others are involved, it is still important to allow the person with Parkinson’s to make independent decisions whenever possible. Of course, it is also equally important to remind family and others who provide care to maintain their own health and wellbeing.

Did you know?

Occupational therapy really began after World War I, when thousands of injured servicemen returned home and needed rehabilitation.

Doing various tasks around the house is becoming more difficult and, as my husband is also disabled, I feel we need some good advice about what to buy, etc. Who could do this?

More FAQs...