LIVING WITH DEMENTIA
When living with Parkinson's Disease, patients will struggle with real-time movement and aligning their perception to their real actions. This causes challenges when reaching to grab something and/or hold onto something. This results in risk of dropping items, falling, and worse. We leverage The LSVT BIG program to help.
The LSVT BIG program has been incredible in helping patients with Parkinson's improve and maintain their "real-time" movements and keep those movements in alignment with their perception of what their body is doing. Put simply, we can help reduce fall risk and the consequences of missing and dropping everyday items.
DEMENTIA CARE PRACTITIONER
Being a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) indicates that I have been trained in the various forms of dementia, able to stage those going through the disease process and generally understand capabilities at different stages. With this knowledge, I give better education to the individual and more help to the caregiver.
-
I understand that a client may not remember me or even that they are receiving ongoing physical therapy.
-
I understand that a client may not remember how to perform ongoing exercises that are needed to progress, which is why it is important to work with family members so that they understand what is required for their loved one to make progress.
-
I understand that a client may not be able to provide quick and qualitative feedback related to their therapy in real time - in other words - "patience is a virtue!"
-
I understand that a client may react differently from session to session.
DEMENTIA PHYSICAL THERAPY
CHRONIC DOESN'T MEAN OUT OF CONTROL
Dementia is a chronic disorder of the mental processes caused by disease or injury and marked by memory disorder, personality changes, and impaired reasoning. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, but other forms exist that have specific presentations and characteristics that differ from Alzheimer’s. Lewy Body dementia, vascular dementia, and Fronto-temporal dementia are some other forms with which I have experience.