Lovena Suson P T

A Practical Guide to Managing Parkinson's Disease Lovena Suson P T

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the 2nd most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. It imposes an economic and social burden on the old age population. "Shaking palsy" is another word we use for Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease progresses at a slow pace. It requires years or more before a person goes through a serious disability. Approximately 60,000 individuals are diagnosed each year. Just a few other known and famous celebrities with PD include Muhammad Ali, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Graham, Charles Schulz, Ben Petrick, Janet Reno, Bob Hoskins, Freddie Roach, Michael Richard Clifford, Maurice White, Brian Grant, James Levine, Billy Connolly, and Neil Diamond. Characteristic symptoms are tremor, rigidity, akinesia (loss of spontaneous movement) as mentioned above and bradykinesia (movement at a slow rate) and problems associated with gait and posture. Effective management is a multifaceted and multidisciplinary approach that requires a team of professionals including the PD patient, family members, caregivers and support staff. This book presents alternative strategies to delay the disease process and optimize a person's functional capacity despite this debilitating disease. Included are practical and simple therapeutic exercises and strategies utilized by Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech-Language Pathologists in addressing the issues in Parkinson's disease: TREMORS, RIGIDITY, COORDINATION AND BALANCE DISTURBANCE, IMPAIRED POSTURE, GAIT ABNORMALITY, SPEECH, AND VOICE DEFICITS and other ensuing impairments. Images of specific Therapeutic exercises are included. This book is simplified for easy reading. This book is authored by a practicing Physical Therapist and colleagues who are Rehab Professionals.