Neuro Note - Parkinson's Disease

I chose to watch a Tedtalk for the topic of Parkinson's Disease. The title is called, "Simple hacks for life with Parkinson's." Being an OT student, the title immediately drew my interest as I thought I was going to see some homemade adaptive equipment using everyday objects around the house. I did see some modified equipment, but I gained insight of using basic "technology" to help people live an independent life with Parkinson's.

The spokeswoman began talking about how she developed a cup that would not spill with someone who had tremors and she demonstrated how the rounding of the top of the cup would just splash the liquid back down into it.  This was only a solution for one symptom of Parkinson's.  It led her to begin thinking of other adaptive equipment she could make and she starting with walking. Her father had Parkinson's and he took small steps and turned very slowly, but the walker helped with most of his problems.  She started thinking about how he could possibly climb stairs with as much trouble as he has walking on flat ground, so she had him attempt to climb up and down stairs. To her amazement, he went up and down the stairs very well.  He moved quickly and smooth without the use of any assistance. He was able to due this because going up and down stairs is one continuous motion.  She had the idea to have a 3-D picture of stairs laid out on the floor and have him stare at it while he walked across the flat ground.  When she had her father do this, he walked across the flat ground just as quick and smooth as he did when he was going up and down the actual stairs. This brought her back to thinking of basic ideas to help individuals with Parkinson's in their daily lives.

I chose this assignment because as a future OT, I could implement this thought process she uses and even the idea of using the image of the stairs to promote independence in individuals with neurological conditions. You can manipulate the mind into doing something while using low-tech, low-cost things such as this, which is exactly how OT's operate. I highly recommend watching this video because it gives you another perspective to see things from and it really focuses in on the client-centered thought process that we use as OT's.

Link: https://www.ted.com/talks/mileha_soneji_simple_hacks_for_life_with_parkinson_s#t-401266


Soneji, M. (n.d.). Simple hacks for life with Parkinson's. Retrieved August 13, 2019, from https://www.ted.com/talks/mileha_soneji_simple_hacks_for_life_with_parkinson_s#t-401266