Parkinson's Peer Support Group

The experience of living with Parkinson’s is unique to each individual. Symptoms and progression vary from person to person. It’s difficult to predict which symptoms a person may get, when symptoms may appear, or how severe the symptoms may be. 

Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease include:
* Tremors, or rhythmic shaking, in hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head. The shaking may decrease when you are performing tasks. 
* Muscle stiffness may occur in any part of your body. The stiffness of muscles may be painful and limit the range of motion in your limbs, affecting daily activities.
* Writing changes – you may notice fine motor tasks becoming more difficult and writing becoming smaller. 
* Speech changes – you may speak softly, quickly, slur, or hesitate before talking. Your speech may be more of a monotone rather than have the usual speech patterns.
* Posture, coordination, and balance issues – leading to increased risk for falls

Physical and Occupational Therapists can be of great benefit to those with Parkinson’s disease (PD). By helping to increase strength, endurance, and balance, one of the main goals in therapy is to help people with PD maintain their usual activities for as long as possible. 

Physical Therapists (PT) are movement experts. They can help with amplitude training, reciprocal balance training,  and stretching to help make mobility safer. 

Occupational Therapists (OT) teach you the skills you need for daily life — whether you’re at home, work, or out with friends. An occupational therapist can also recommend useful changes to your home to improve safety. 

Aquatic therapy may also be very helpful for someone that is unable to tolerate land-based therapy. Think of it as therapy in the water! The warmth of the water is therapeutic to reduce rigidity, stiffness, and pain that Parkinson’s patients often experience.  Both therapies should also provide ongoing education to help you maintain your independence and safety in your home and community.