Most people know that Parkinson’s disease affects muscle function. Patients lose muscle control and may have trouble with their balance. They can develop tremors in which they cannot control shaking in the arms, legs, and even the head. There are other symptoms of Parkinson’s, including muscle aches and inability to control the body’s temperature. Something else about Parkinson’s you may not know about is that it can also cause symptoms of confusion, dementia, and memory loss.
Family members and caregivers in Parkinson’s care in Montreal can use all kinds of tools online, usually for free, to find games and activities that can guide the person in some simple but effective exercises geared to their ability level as well as games and activities that stimulate the mind to help them fight off signs of dementia and memory loss.
You can always start with YouTube to look for videos, all of them free, with simple exercises. Just type in what you’re looking for. If the person in senior care is able to stand without assistance, you won’t be quite as restricted in your search. You might look under “exercises for seniors” to find exercises that are appropriate for their physical ability. If a person prefers to sit, search for “sitting exercises” and go from there. Yoga has been found to be effective for Parkinson’s patients. Check YouTube for “yoga Parkinson’s” to find videos demonstrating the moves.
What’s good about YouTube is that the patient can follow along with the video, but if you’re simply looking for a description of good exercises online, check http://www.cnsonline.org/www/archive/parkins/park-03.html , which has a great description of simple yet effective exercises that Parkinson’s patients can do to keep their muscles in use and as limber as possible.
You can set up a Wii game console, which is a great game for those with Parkinson’s because so many of these games, like bowling, tennis, and more, provide physical therapy activity while the person plays along with the screen. The person is required to hold the controller just like a golf club or tennis racket or baseball bat and physically perform the motions in order to keep the game going. The UCSF School of Nursing, along with a game developer called Red Hill Studios, found that interactive games with physical movement helped patients with their coordination.
Stimulating the mind is just as important in home care as keeping the muscles exercised. The Kindle application is free to download, and thousands of titles are available in all kinds of interests, with so many of them free to download to the Kindle. If the person likes online games, you can find interactive gaming sites where they can play against others, or they can play against the computer in games like Scrabble, backgammon, checkers, and more.