Creating a Parkinson's Friendly Home

When living with Parkinson's disease it is crucial to make your home "Parkinson's friendly". Here are a few minor adjustments you can make to ensure that your home is safe to live in with Parkinson's disease.

(Low beds are optimal for people with Parkinson's)

Bedrooms:

1. Appropriate height bed: ensure that the bed is easy to get in and out of.
2. Accessibility of closet: make sure that clothing rods are at an appropriate height and well lit.
3. Flashlight by bed: in case of power outages keep a flashlight at your bedside.
4. Night-light: use to light your way from the bedroom to the bathroom and throughout hallways.

(Bathroom necessities for people with Parkinson's disease)

Bathroom:

1. Bath bench: allows you to sit while showering and will reduce the risk of falling.
2. Elevated toilet seat: enables you to get up easily with less effort.
3. Grab bars: allows for safe hand hold when getting in and out of the shower.
4. Non skid decals: allows for more traction in the shower and will reduce the risk of falling.

(Kitchen that meets Parkinson's needs)

Kitchen:

1. Drawers: store commonly used items here to avoid having to reach for them.
2. Items for cooking: place close to the stove so they are easy to access when cooking.
3. Smoke alarm: install or check existing to alert you of fire .

To find more ways to make your house "Parkinson's friendly" refer to http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/making-your-home-parkinsons-disease-userfriendly.html. It is crucial to your safety that you follow these precautions and make these changes in your household.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

1. Why is this medicine being prescribed and what symptoms are problematic?

• By asking this you can make sure you understand what the medication is that you are taking and understand how to take it and side effects to look for.                                                                                  (medications)

2. How will you monitor my Parkinson's treatment and coordinate my care?

• This will teach you who to contact with questions and how often you should be visiting for evaluations.

3. What other professionals do you recommend I see?

• Your doctor may give you a referral for a physical therapist, speech pathologist, and occupational therapist in order to be assessed by these specialists.

4. Could you recommend a dermatologist?                                    

                                                                                                                              (physicians)

• People with Parkinson's are at a higher risk for developing melanoma so it is crucial for you to be screened regularly by a dermatologists. 

5.What types of exercise are most suitable for me?

• This will give you an idea about what you can do and how much physical activity you can endure.

                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                  (exercise groups)

Visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/basics/preparing-for-your-appointment/con-20028488 in order to find out more questions to ask your doctor and how to prepare for your upcoming doctors appointments. Please make sure to take notes during your appointment to ensure that you remember all of the things the doctors are telling you. 

Family Members

Be Involved

(Family at doctor's appointment)

Doctors highly recommend that family members attend doctor's appointments with their loved one. As Parkinson's disease progresses, patients dementia may get worse and their memory will become less clear and it becomes crucial that they have someone at doctors appointments with them. By attending these appointments family members will be able to ask questions that the patient may forget and help them to recall what the doctor said. Also, by attending these appointments family members will be able to see how the disease is progressing and discuss treatment methods with the doctor.

 Establish a Support Team

When someone is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease it is extremely important that they find support and their family member or caregiver finds support. This support group can consist of friends, neighbors, and family members. This support team can help to run errands, get groceries, make dinner, or just be a listening ear. Some people may prefer to find a support group for caregivers. Support groups can be found online and can allow family members a safe place to share experiences, ask questions, and gain friendships.
(Support group meeting)

Take Time For Yourself

The most important thing you can do as a family member is to take time to yourself when your loved one is diagnosed with Parkinson's dise
ase. This can be as simple as a walk around the neighborhood or grabbing lunch with a friend. By allowing yourself to have some alone time you would be benefitting your loved one and yourself.

(do something with friends that you enjoy)

Self Management

Nutrition
People with Parkinson's disease must be sure to eat well balanced diets. These people must eat additional fruits and vegetables to ensure that they are getting enough fiber. Fiber helps with maintaining regular bowel movements and decreasing constipation. People suffering from Parkinson's disease must also ensure that they are drinking lots of fluids in order to stay hydrated. Patients with Parkinson's should also keep sugar salt intake to a minimum. The most important nutrition advice for Parkinson's disease patients is to balance food with their medications. This is crucial to ensure successful management of Parkinson's disease. You can also reference http://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-disease/guide/eating-right about daily diets for patients with Parkinson's disease.

(example of proper diet)

Exercise
Exercise is very important to daily self management of Parkinson's disease. Exercise can help a patient to maintain or even improve mobility and flexibility. Parkinson's disease patients should incorporate exercise into their daily activity in order to manage this disease. Many patients with Parkinson's disease also receive physical therapy to gain exercise and work on flexibility. Exercise for these patients does not need to be extensive but should be done daily.

(Exercises for Parkinson's disease patients)

Support
Another key aspect in self management of Parkinson's disease is finding support from people who are going through the same struggles. Support groups often help patients to learn how to live with this disease. Support groups are also an outlet that lets patients talk about their problems. Having support can also reduce secondary symptoms of this disease, like depression. Support groups can be found by calling (800) 457-6676. 

(Parkinson's support group meeting)

Parkinson's Disease

What is Parkinson's disease?
Parkinson's disease is a motor system disorder which is caused by a persons brain cells producing less and less dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that controls movement, body, and emotions. There are several risk factors for this disease. Age is a major risk factor because most people develop this disease around 60 years of age. It is very rare for someone to develop this disease at a young age. Heredity is another risk factor. If you have a close family member who has Parkinson's disease then there is a higher chance that you will also develop this disease. Another risk factor is sex. Men are much more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than women. The last major risk factor is exposure to toxins. If you have had ongoing exposure to herbicides and pesticides then you are at a higher risk for Parkinson's disease. To find out more about Parkinson's disease you can go to http://www.pdf.org/about_pd.

(Parkinson's disease effect on brain)

What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease?
The most common symptoms of Parkinson's disease are tremors, stiffness, bradykinesia, and postural instability. Tremors usually occur in the hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face. At the early onset of Parkinson's disease these tremors may not even be noticeable but as the disease progresses the tremors usually worsen. Stiffness is another symptom of Parkinson's disease. It usually occurs in the limbs and trunk area of the body. Bradykinesia is a slowness of movement that is seen in a great deal ofpatients with Parkinson's disease. Finally, postural instability, or impaired balance, is another common symptom of this disease.



(List of Parkinson's symptoms)

Is there any treatment?

Parkinson's disease cannot be cured but medicine can help to manage symptoms. Some people may even undergo surgery on some parts of the brain to reduce symptoms. Many doctors will recommend lifestyle changes for patients with Parkinson's disease. These can include exercise and physical therapy which will help with balance, mobility, and daily living. Most patients who take medication and exercise regularly will have dramatically less symptoms. There is a lot of research going into new treatment methods for this disease.

(Parkinson's disease treatment through physical therapy)