My Favorite Purchases for Improved Function for Parkinson's Disease
As a physical therapist and mom, I’m always on the look out for tools to simplify life. Here are a list of items I have used with Parkinson’s Disease warriors that I find really work!
Weights for Pens & Pencils
These weights can help people with difficulty with handwriting, write better! You can use these weights with your favorite writing tool and use this resource for the Parkinsons’s Association to practice.
Co-Bars
These weighted sticks are great for people with decreased trunk rotation. By walking with them they help mobilize the shoulders and improve trunk rotation for flexibility. They were designed and created by a physical therapist.
LSVT BIG Homework Helper
This is great DVD for anyone who has done the LSVT BIG. It is not a replacement for physical therapy, it is simply a complementary tool to help you do your BIG exercises daily.
Blank Checks to Practice Writing
These is a download for “blank checks." It has one enlarged check on one page, and three normal size checks on the other. Its a way for people with PD to practice writing legibly inside of a check.
Weighted Cutlery
Weighted cutlery can make a difference for people with difficulty feeding themselves due to tremor or fine motor skills.
Liftware
This is a more expensive version of weighted cutlery and I have not actually seen this product in action. I know a lot of Occupational Therapists recommend it though, so I imagine it is a great product.
Parkinson’s Safety Kit
This free kit can be taken with you to any hospitalization to ensure the staff will honor your medication schedule!
An LSVT BIG! or PWR! Therapist
Of course I couldn’t write this post without mentioning one of the greatest tools for fighting Parkinson’s Disease is a physical therapist who is specially trained in the movement disorders of the disease.
What about you? What are your favorite tools for improving function in Parkinson’s ?
Comment below because I want to know!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Anna Stromquist, PT, DPT is a physical therapist in Atlanta, Georgia. Her mobile clinic provides physical and speech therapy in the home under outpatient benefits.
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