Hong KongHong Kong
The Asia Pacific Region celebrated a fantastic World Parkinson's Disease Day, reaching 5,600 people with PD and carers in 8 countries including Hong Kong and Singapore.
Information, awareness and practical advice was the theme of all the celebrations reported widely by the media and supported by Novartis, contributing to the extensive awareness campaign.
In Hong Kong, a spectacular 1,450 participants (200 with PD) attended a Tai Chi event.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Parkinson's sufferers exercise brain, body
Parkinson's sufferers exercise brain, body
By ALECIA WARREN | The Coeur d'Alene Press
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho – Another Wednesday, and another day the Fosters are alone among the endless shelves of porcelain in the basement of Wiggett's Antique Marketplace.
AdaMay is at her fluttery best, the tiny 76-year-old a windstorm of dusting spray, while LeRoy, 79, shuffles slowly in the back, revisiting stacks of rusty doodads.
The Coeur d'Alene couple was here yesterday, doing the same thing - and tomorrow they'll be back again, whether or not anyone shows up to sort through their clutter for sale.
Anything to stay busy.
See, constant activity - like sorting old figure skates and model airplanes at Wiggett's - keeps neurons in LeRoy's brain slip-sliding over familiar ground, retracing the pathways that his Parkinson's so often interrupts.
And on those days when the "freezing" happens - when his body winds down and pauses, struggling to recall how to start up again - the work fends off the panic that threatens to set in.
"It's all about keeping him moving, keeping his attitude up," AdaMay said. "We know it'll never get better - that's the first thing you learn.
"But we figure if we work with it, it will keep it from coming on too fast."
So she keeps them going at a steady clip: Exercise classes, dance classes, yard sales.
At the end of the day, it's hard to tell whether LeRoy's tired from the Parkinson's or the activities.
"I don't have much choice, when she gets too pushy," he muttered with a smile.
She nodded. After 55 years of marriage, what else would she do?
"I'd just like to keep him around longer."
Since LeRoy was diagnosed five years ago with the disease that hampers communication between the brain and motor functions, his wide gait has slowed to a gentle shuffle, his booming voice faded to a rasp, and his big paws are prone to a jittery shake.
They hone their focus on what their neurologist can peg for certain - relentless use of the brain and body will keep the progression at bay.
And luckily, Coeur d'Alene offers all kinds of opportunities.
Every Monday and Wednesday at 8 a.m. sharp they slog alongside senior citizens at Striders, the exercise group that meets at the First United Methodist Church.
Huffing through powerwalks and flexing muscles with band exercises are just what physical therapists prescribed for LeRoy's Parkinson's, he said, and AdaMay makes sure they never miss a morning.
"She might push him a little bit, only because she wants to keep moving so he's not to the point where he gets to be immobile," said Loretta Deitz, who helps run the group. "And exercise helps people with Parkinson's focus on something other than their disease. It keeps your mind focused and clear, and when you're active like that, you don't have a tendency to sit in a rocking chair and do nothing."
The Fosters are also regulars at the Coeur d'Alene Senior Center - Thursdays for line dancing, and Mondays for bingo.
Shuffling six or seven boards at once, LeRoy's brain has to fire up fast to keep up with the rules - no free spaces, no corners, create an arrow or blackout.
It's a big night when he can get through the whole night unaided.
"He used to be so good with numbers," AdaMay said, referring to his decades managing feed stores across North Idaho.
Now when the neurologist asks him to count down from 100 in threes, LeRoy's mind grasps for the simple numbers and winds up blank.
"That's frustrating, too," he frowned. "I know I can do that ... except I can't."
Best not to think about it, he said. The key?
"Stay busy."
Everything's a lot easier to digest thanks to the Parkinson's Support Group, too, the first Friday every month at the senior center, and third Monday at Kootenai Medical Center.
"It gives us the feeling you're not quite alone in this big bad world of Parkinson's," LeRoy said. "They're so upbeat - it's only Parkinson's, it's not cancer. We can work with that."
One by one, the 30-odd members update the current stage of their disease: Which of the googolplex of available medication is working, and what's causing pain, wooziness.
It's a Socratic wonder of scraping away the layers to an indelible disease - and with free cookies.
"I find people with Parkinson's - it's a different group, isn't it?" LeRoy said to AdaMay. "It's a caring group, and informational. How many people could you go up to and ask, what medication are you on? What doctor do you go to?"
Karen Goodman, who started the group three years ago for her father with Parkinson's, said the group's banter saved his life by introducing them to a crucial surgery.
"The doctors reduced his medication by like 75 percent, and now he can get out of low couches without any help," glowed Goodman, who lives with him as his caretaker. "It helps just to see there's hope, that some things can help."
AdaMay's hope lies within the calendar in their home - in keeping every square scheduled to the brim, with the knowledge she'll be alongside her husband all the way, in case the Parkinson's acts up.
"I don't mind," she said, patting LeRoy's hand. "If it never gets any worse, I know we can handle it."
She pauses and continues: "But it will though."
Regardless, they'll remain fixtures at line dancing, and bingo, and Striders.
And in between, Wiggett's - alone and scrubbing at a mess that will never be totally clean.
Anything to stay busy.
By ALECIA WARREN | The Coeur d'Alene Press
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho – Another Wednesday, and another day the Fosters are alone among the endless shelves of porcelain in the basement of Wiggett's Antique Marketplace.
AdaMay is at her fluttery best, the tiny 76-year-old a windstorm of dusting spray, while LeRoy, 79, shuffles slowly in the back, revisiting stacks of rusty doodads.
The Coeur d'Alene couple was here yesterday, doing the same thing - and tomorrow they'll be back again, whether or not anyone shows up to sort through their clutter for sale.
Anything to stay busy.
See, constant activity - like sorting old figure skates and model airplanes at Wiggett's - keeps neurons in LeRoy's brain slip-sliding over familiar ground, retracing the pathways that his Parkinson's so often interrupts.
And on those days when the "freezing" happens - when his body winds down and pauses, struggling to recall how to start up again - the work fends off the panic that threatens to set in.
"It's all about keeping him moving, keeping his attitude up," AdaMay said. "We know it'll never get better - that's the first thing you learn.
"But we figure if we work with it, it will keep it from coming on too fast."
So she keeps them going at a steady clip: Exercise classes, dance classes, yard sales.
At the end of the day, it's hard to tell whether LeRoy's tired from the Parkinson's or the activities.
"I don't have much choice, when she gets too pushy," he muttered with a smile.
She nodded. After 55 years of marriage, what else would she do?
"I'd just like to keep him around longer."
Since LeRoy was diagnosed five years ago with the disease that hampers communication between the brain and motor functions, his wide gait has slowed to a gentle shuffle, his booming voice faded to a rasp, and his big paws are prone to a jittery shake.
They hone their focus on what their neurologist can peg for certain - relentless use of the brain and body will keep the progression at bay.
And luckily, Coeur d'Alene offers all kinds of opportunities.
Every Monday and Wednesday at 8 a.m. sharp they slog alongside senior citizens at Striders, the exercise group that meets at the First United Methodist Church.
Huffing through powerwalks and flexing muscles with band exercises are just what physical therapists prescribed for LeRoy's Parkinson's, he said, and AdaMay makes sure they never miss a morning.
"She might push him a little bit, only because she wants to keep moving so he's not to the point where he gets to be immobile," said Loretta Deitz, who helps run the group. "And exercise helps people with Parkinson's focus on something other than their disease. It keeps your mind focused and clear, and when you're active like that, you don't have a tendency to sit in a rocking chair and do nothing."
The Fosters are also regulars at the Coeur d'Alene Senior Center - Thursdays for line dancing, and Mondays for bingo.
Shuffling six or seven boards at once, LeRoy's brain has to fire up fast to keep up with the rules - no free spaces, no corners, create an arrow or blackout.
It's a big night when he can get through the whole night unaided.
"He used to be so good with numbers," AdaMay said, referring to his decades managing feed stores across North Idaho.
Now when the neurologist asks him to count down from 100 in threes, LeRoy's mind grasps for the simple numbers and winds up blank.
"That's frustrating, too," he frowned. "I know I can do that ... except I can't."
Best not to think about it, he said. The key?
"Stay busy."
Everything's a lot easier to digest thanks to the Parkinson's Support Group, too, the first Friday every month at the senior center, and third Monday at Kootenai Medical Center.
"It gives us the feeling you're not quite alone in this big bad world of Parkinson's," LeRoy said. "They're so upbeat - it's only Parkinson's, it's not cancer. We can work with that."
One by one, the 30-odd members update the current stage of their disease: Which of the googolplex of available medication is working, and what's causing pain, wooziness.
It's a Socratic wonder of scraping away the layers to an indelible disease - and with free cookies.
"I find people with Parkinson's - it's a different group, isn't it?" LeRoy said to AdaMay. "It's a caring group, and informational. How many people could you go up to and ask, what medication are you on? What doctor do you go to?"
Karen Goodman, who started the group three years ago for her father with Parkinson's, said the group's banter saved his life by introducing them to a crucial surgery.
"The doctors reduced his medication by like 75 percent, and now he can get out of low couches without any help," glowed Goodman, who lives with him as his caretaker. "It helps just to see there's hope, that some things can help."
AdaMay's hope lies within the calendar in their home - in keeping every square scheduled to the brim, with the knowledge she'll be alongside her husband all the way, in case the Parkinson's acts up.
"I don't mind," she said, patting LeRoy's hand. "If it never gets any worse, I know we can handle it."
She pauses and continues: "But it will though."
Regardless, they'll remain fixtures at line dancing, and bingo, and Striders.
And in between, Wiggett's - alone and scrubbing at a mess that will never be totally clean.
Anything to stay busy.
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