Parkinson's is a progressive, chronic neurodegenerative disease.
The message to the contestant, today, is to maintain physical, cognitive and social activity, as a way of life and as a way to treat the disease and its progression.
The ways of coping differ from person to person - in the motivation to maintain the functions. In the emotional state, which affects the recruitment of motivation. The ability to organize a structured and active daily schedule and the rehabilitation services found in the contestant's surroundings.
There are many and varied options for activity - various classes of dance, physical activity, creation and enrichment - all of them contribute to employment and are a great way to maintain skills while combining pleasure and creating meaning and value for everyday life.
Classes and activities are good, but many times there are not enough or not enough professionals in order to create a good basis of work to maintain health. In most cases, it is worthwhile and necessary to combine professional treatment of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, a communication therapist and emotional support for the contestant and his family. This is where the various professionals in the health insurance funds, in the movement disorder units or in the private market come into the picture.
The advantages of a professional who understands and knows Parkinson's are many - understanding the disease in its various shades allows appropriate and correct treatment for the specific challenger. Strengthening and preserving the abilities and building an activity plan suitable for the abilities of a certain contestant (which may not suit another contestant). Understanding the disease allows the professional to treat in the most appropriate way and "tailor" a personalized treatment plan while encouraging progress and maintaining the contestant's safety. This is an advantage not only in building a "super plan" but rather in dealing with the small details in the life of the particular contestant, understanding the difficulties that the disease creates for him and finding a solution that fits him specifically (specific exercises, adapting the living environment of the contestant to the difficulties he experiences, understanding the particular psychological difficulties and finding a common solution to the difficulties and more).
It is not always easy to assemble such a team (it is also important to say that a team is not always necessary - each competitor and his needs and each stage of the disease requires a different intervention). The treatments at the health insurance funds are not always accessible and not always professional enough, but the ambition, in my opinion, is to try and create as wide a support system as possible around the contestant.
Building an organized agenda and full of activity as it is, usually with a lot of effort on the organizational side and a considerable cost on the financial side. And let's assume that these parts are not a problem (financial and organizational), there is nevertheless an understandable problem or a complicating factor in looking at the schedule - the fact that there are so many professionals in the picture and most, if not all, do not communicate with each other, do not work together, to maintain the quality of life of Patient.
In a disease like Parkinson's, each patient looks a little different and in each activity framework the abilities of that person are slightly different. Communication between the various professionals can help to obtain a comprehensive, holistic picture of the patient, his abilities in the various fields and his functioning in the various settings.
When a patient suffers from a certain problem, difficulty in swallowing, for example - working together as a team can answer the problem from different directions - the communication clinician in diagnosis and training for correct swallowing. Physiotherapy to strengthen the vital muscles for swallowing and posture. Dietician to put together a menu with appropriate economy. Emotional therapy to help deal with changes in mood due to changes in health and the like.
The treatment of each individual professional would be good, but it could be much better if the different professionals treating the same contestant created communication between them for an even more tailored and holistic treatment.
The connection between the various professionals is not a simple task and in most cases the contestant himself (if he can) or one of the contestant's family members will be the ones who will have to create it and take care of the transfer of the information and the connection. It is possible and advisable to ask one family member to take on the role (perhaps this is a good opportunity to involve the children through a concrete and precise task) and he knew that this was his area of responsibility. And so the profit is doubled - the task is accomplished and the family member feels that he is contributing and helping in something that is greatly needed.
This is not an easy task but with great value in maintaining the functions and abilities.
