This is a brief overview of possible adaptive
devices to recommend to your patients with
Parkinson’s.
Outline
What is Parkinson’s?
 Assistance with Gait
 Assistance with Eating/Feeding
 Bed Mobility
 Bathroom Assistance

Brief Overview of Parkinson’s
Problem with certain nerve cells which
create dopamine
 Dopamine helps to control movement
 If there are problems, your body cannot
create dopamine and this affects how a
person moves
 Parkinson’s is progressive, but slow
 Symptoms: tremor, stiffness, slow
movement and problems with balance and
walking

Rolling Walkers
-Use
of a rolling walker
encourages a continuous gait
- Those with Parkinson’s typically
have a freezing gait
- A walker allows for greater
independence
- Make sure the walkers have
brakes
Canes
- The best option would be a cane that
has a visual cue for stepping
- This cue can be a laser beam or an
wand on the base of the cane
- The visual cue breaks up the
freezing episodes as the person tries
to step on or in front of the cue
- This allows for a person to walk
around with more confidence and less
fear of falling
Wheelchairs
-If
gait is severely impaired, in order
for a person to be able to stay in the
community and participate safely, a
wheelchair may be recommended
- An
electrical wheelchair would be
the best option since a person
would not be able to push
him/herself
Utensils
Adaptive forks, spoons,
knives
 Utensils with angled
handles for better grasp
 Utensils with larger areas
to grasp
 Spoons to help scoop
hard to eat food
 Weighted utensils to help
minimize hand tremors

Bed Assist Rail
Allows for rolling assistance
 Helps to go from laying
down to sitting and from
sitting to standing
 Allows for help with
balance when initially
 Not recommended for
standing
everyone, especially since it
requires upper body strength
 Attached to bed
 Do not want patients to
become too reliant on using
this piece of equipment
 Slides under bed and
trapezee bar dangles above at
about shoulder level

Other Devices- Overhead
Trapezee Bar
Shower Bench



Beneficial for safety in a
slippery environment
Allows patient to have
increased independence
in the shower
Patient can sit while
showering



Having grab bars
increase safety in the
shower/bath
Allows for patient to hold
on for balance
Increases independence
in the bathroom
Grab Bars
Reflective Letter
I would imagine that this presentation would be made during a
multidisciplinary discussion in a larger outpatient setting or in a nursing
home setting. The people who would be interested in adaptive equipment
for Parkinson’s are the people with the most contact with that population.
As Physical Therapists, it is important that we keep our patient’s safety in
our goals at all times, especially when those with Parkinson’s are at an
increased risk for falls and balance issues. Physical therapists need to
know what is available for clients, in case we need to write for insurance
coverage for any of the adaptive equipment. Occupational therapists are
more likely to need the adaptive equipment pertaining to feeding, dressing
and grooming. Physical therapists will have more of a need to know what is
out there for gait, bed mobility and bathing. Physical therapists have the
capability to recommend equipment to their patients and can make sure
that the patient is using the most appropriate adaptive equipment that is
necessary at that time.
Even though this document is very basic, it is able to be used not just in
multidisciplinary rounds or in-services, but also to distribute to clients
and/or clients’ caregivers. A slightly more interactive presentation would be
interesting for health care professionals, but it is a presentation that is also
able to be printed out and converted into a brochure to hand out.
I would use this piece in my final portfolio. It shows that I have researched
a topic and that I understand the importance of having a multi-disciplinary
approach to certain populations of patients.
References
Information
The Story Behind NextStep. Accessed Oct 9, 2012. http://www.icanstep.com/about.htm
International Tremor Foundation. Parkinson’s Disease. Accessed Oct 9, 2012.
http://www.pdmdcenter.com/articles/HopkinsWeb/index.html#stepoverwand
Northwestern University. Parkinson’s Presentation. Accessed Oct 9, 2012.
http://www.parkinsons.northwestern.edu/pdf/NU_PD_Presentation4.pdf
Boelen M. Health Professional’s Guide to the Physical Management of Parkinson’s Disease. Accessed Oct 9, 2012.
http://books.google.com/books?id=EeSxQHNLfTcC&pg=PA122&lpg=PA122&dq=bed+mobility+Parkinson's&source=bl&ots
=87xzo4NsoJ&sig=GyCZZXX97VVOgiFKA64ErDHBTY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=rkt0UO2UKsmS0QHnqYCIAg&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=bed%20mobility%20Parkins
on's&f=false
Russell A. “Parkinson’s Disease and Occupational Therapy- Adaptive Equipment.” Parkinson’s Insider. University of Miami,
Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center. Summer/Fall 2010. Issue 6. Accessed Oct 10, 2012.
http://neurology.med.miami.edu/documents/Parkinson%20Insider%20-%20Issue%206.pdf
Pictures
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