28 July 2011
Jansa J, Aragon A, Lundgren-Nilsson A
Introduction: People with Parkinson's disease (Parkinson's) experience
diverse symptoms that impact on many aspects of daily life. Occupational
therapy (OT) aims to optimize independence, coping, and social
participation and can make a valuable contribution to management of the
condition.
Method: A prospective study was undertaken using an anonymous, open
Web-based questionnaire, devised to explore the experiences and opinions
of OT among a group of people living with Parkinson's in Norway,
Slovenia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Resullts: The views of 230 respondents with many of the typically
recognized demographic and clinical features of Parkinson's populations
were collected. The need for help in daily life was commonly reported,
encompassing activities related to self-care, productivity, and leisure.
Approximately half the people surveyed (54%) reported having seen an
occupational therapist since their diagnosis. The location, frequency,
and duration of interventions varied considerably between the four
countries. The content of OT was diverse and included assistance for
using arms and hands, carrying out daily activities, and concerned
receipt of advice about aids, equipment, environmental adaptations,
further support and services, and education about Parkinson's. Among the
people who had received OT, there was a high level of consensus that
they would recommend it to others with Parkinson's.
Conclusion: In this sample, differences in OT services for people with
Parkinson's were reported. Where OT services were received, it was seen
as an important intervention. Further studies with a larger sample and
involving more countries are needed to verify and build-on these
findings.
Further information: For details of this study please visit http://www.epda.eu.com/projects/ot-survey
