Living Well with Parkinson's Disease:
Parkinson’s disease can change the way everyday activities feel—but a diagnosis does not mean that the activities you enjoy or the life you want to live have to stop.
At I’ll Stay Home, occupational therapy helps people with Parkinson’s disease find practical ways to continue participating in the activities that matter to them while adapting to changes in movement, energy, cognition, and daily function.
Because therapy happens in the home, we can look at what is actually happening during everyday life—not just what happens in a clinic.
Serving Columbus Ohio and the surrounding communities.
Prefer to call or text? 614-500-4012
How can occupational therapy help someone with Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s disease can affect movement, balance, coordination, endurance, handwriting, cognition, and the ability to complete everyday activities efficiently.
Sometimes the changes are obvious. Other times, they show up in activities that used to feel automatic:
-Getting dressed takes longer than it used to
-Buttons, zippers, or other fasteners become frustrating
-Writing becomes smaller or harder to read
-Preparing a meal takes more effort
-Medication routines become difficult to manage
-Showering or getting in and out of the bathroom feels less safe
-Fatigue makes it harder to get through the day
-Walking around the house becomes more challenging
-A favorite hobby or activity is becoming harder to do
-You are spending more time figuring out how to do something than actually doing it
Occupational therapy looks at why an activity has become difficult and what can be changed to help.
The goal isn't to make you do things a certain way.
The goal is to find the right fit between the person, the environment, and the activity.
What does an occupational therapist do for someone with Parkinson’s disease?
Adapt everyday activities
Keep doing the things that matter to you
Address physical function changes
Maintain participation meaningful hobbies
Develop strategies to manage symptoms
Address the home environment
When should someone with Parkinson’s disease see an occupational therapist?
Occupational therapy can be helpful at many different points in the course of Parkinson's disease.
You don't have to wait until everyday activities become extremely difficult.
In fact, working with an OT earlier can provide an opportunity to identify strategies, establish routines, address environmental barriers, and plan for changes before they interfere more significantly with daily life.
You may want to consider an OT evaluation if:
-You have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
-Everyday activities are becoming more difficult or taking longer
-You are having trouble with dressing, bathing, cooking, or other daily activities
-Your handwriting has changed
-Medication management is becoming difficult
-Fatigue is interfering with the things you want to do
-You are having difficulty keeping up with household or community activities
-A favorite hobby or activity has become harder to participate in
-You are experiencing falls or concerns about safety
-You are using more assistance than you used to
-You want to make your home work better for your changing needs
-You want strategies for maintaining participation and independence as Parkinson's disease changes
You don't have to wait for a crisis to ask for help.
What to expect during an in-home occupational therapy evaluation:
1. Talk About What Has Changed
We'll discuss how Parkinson's is affecting your energy, endurance, routines, activities and priorities.
2. Assessment With Your Occupational Therapist in Your Home
We'll look at how your abilities, environment and everyday activities interact.
3. Identify What's Getting in the Way
Together, we'll identify activities, routines or environmental factors that are making daily life more difficult.
4. Develop Practical Strategies
Recommendations may include activity modification, energy conservation, routines, adaptive equipment, home modifications, caregiver education or other occupational therapy interventions.
5. Decide What Comes Next
We'll help you determine which strategies make sense for you and whether additional occupational therapy or another member of your healthcare team may be helpful.
Stay Independent: Learn ways to adapt activities while continuing to do as much as possible.
Be Prepared: Build routines and strategies that can help you respond to changes before they become overwhelming.
Keep Living: Your goal isn't simply to manage a diagnosis but to continue doing what you want to do.
Helping a Loved One with Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson's disease doesn't just affect the person with the diagnosis.
Changes in movement, fatigue, cognition, and daily activities can affect the entire household.
Family members may gradually find themselves providing more assistance with everyday tasks.
Sometimes that assistance is necessary.
Other times, a person may be able to do more with a different strategy, more time, or a small change to the activity.
OT can help families figure out the difference.
Rather than simply telling you what to do, I'll Stay Home works with you to develop practical strategies that fit your actual life.
The goal is not to do everything for someone. It's to find the right level of support.
Why choose I'll Stay Home?
Your Goals. Your Choices. Your Life.
We know that change is scary, and we would never force a change you aren't ready for. Instead, we use evidence, your needs, your preferences and your goals to find the just-right fit for you.
Our goal is to help you maximize your safety, independence and quality of life while keeping you in control of the decisions that affect your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does occupational therapy help people with Parkinson’s disease?
Research supports occupational therapy for several areas of function in Parkinson's disease, including self-perceived performance and satisfaction with meaningful daily activities, IADL participation, handwriting, medication management, and physical activity.
However, OT is not a treatment that stops or reverses Parkinson's disease. The goal is to help you participate in meaningful activities and manage the functional challenges that Parkinson's disease creates.
Can occupational therapy help me remain independent with Parkinson’s disease?
OT can identify ways to support independence by adapting activities, routines, environments, and the amount or type of assistance provided.
Independence does not necessarily mean doing everything without help. It can mean having the ability and opportunity to participate in the things that matter to you with the right strategies and support.
Can occupational therapy help with handwriting?
Yes. Handwriting is one of the areas where research supports OT-related intervention for people with Parkinson's disease.
An OT can evaluate what is making writing difficult and work with you on strategies and adaptations to make writing more functional.
Can occupational therapy help with medication management?
Yes. Medication adherence and management are among the areas where the research provides moderate evidence for OT-related intervention.
An OT can look at the entire medication routine and help identify practical strategies or environmental changes that support successful medication management.
Can occupational therapy help with fatigue?
OT can help you examine how you are using your energy throughout the day and develop strategies such as pacing, prioritizing, planning, and activity modification.
The goal is to help you use your available energy for the activities that matter most.
Does the house need to be modified?
Not necessarily.
Sometimes a relatively small environmental change can make an activity easier or safer. Other times, the best intervention is changing how an activity is performed.
I don't recommend modifications simply because they are available. Recommendations are based on your needs, your environment, and what you are trying to accomplish.
Is this home health?
No.
I’ll Stay Home provides mobile outpatient occupational therapy, not home health.
You do not need to be homebound to receive services. Therapy takes place in your home because that's where your routines, activities, and challenges actually happen.
Do I need a doctor's referral?
A physician's referral is not always required to begin occupational therapy in Ohio, but insurance requirements can vary. If you plan to use insurance, we can help you determine whether your plan requires a referral, order or other documentation for coverage.
Is occupational therapy appropriate early in Parkinson’s disease?
Yes. OT can be useful at different stages of Parkinson's disease, including earlier in the diagnosis.
Early intervention can provide an opportunity to identify strategies, establish routines, address environmental barriers, and develop self-management approaches before functional challenges become more disruptive.
What if I don't think I need therapy yet?
You don't have to be struggling with every aspect of daily life to benefit from an OT evaluation.
Sometimes the purpose of an evaluation is simply to identify what is working, what could be improved, and what strategies might help you continue doing the things you enjoy.
The goal is to be proactive—not to wait until a problem becomes a crisis.
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Serving Columbus and the Surrounding Areas
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:
All information on this website is intended for instruction and informational purposes only. The authors are not responsible for any harm or injury that may result. Significant injury risk is possible if you do not follow due diligence and seek suitable professional advice about your injury.
No guarantees of specific results are expressly made or implied on this website.
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