Managing Early Parkinson’s Symptoms with Exercise and Anthem Senior Living in Phoenix

  0 Comments

Share this

Parkinson’s is basically a neurological disorder that affects more than one million people in the United States. There is no better time than this to discuss about this disease because April is National Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Today we are going to throw some light on this disorder and how exercise can help manage the early Parkinson’s symptoms. For assisted living for your loved one in the Phoenix region in Arizona, you can get in touch with the award-winning Anthem Senior Living which consists of some of the most compassionate and experienced caregivers which provides round-the-clock assistance to the clients, taking care of all their needs at all given times.

It is mostly men older than 60 years of age and adults with a family history of Parkinson’s disease who are at a higher risk for the disease. This disease causes loss of muscle control and movement-related issues like tremors in the hands, feet and mouth are some of the common symptoms. Difficulty in walking or standing, problems with writing or holding something are a few other major symptoms. There is no cure for the disease but as per some new research, exercise can play a huge role in improving the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s. Regular exercise has been shown to improve balance, walking, etc.

Link between Parkinson’s and Exercise:

The research from the Parkinson’s Outcome Project investigated many different treatments and activities and their impact on the quality of life for people with PD. The key is to establish an exercise routine in the earlier days of the disease and sticking to it.

The participants with PD were divided by the researchers into two groups:

A) The first group engaged in at least 2.5 hours of exercise each week beginning shortly after their diagnosis while the others didn’t begin exercising until the advancement of their disease.

B) The assessment for both groups was on the basis of mood changes, social interaction, happiness, and satisfaction with their level of mobility. People who stayed active longer had significantly higher levels of happiness and mobility satisfaction than those who were inactive or neglected exercising.

A few other research projects that showed promising results include:

A) As per a University of Pittsburgh study, the researchers discovered something interesting in the brain scans of the participants: in the most physically active individuals, neurons that process dopamine were healthier and stronger compared to other individuals who were less active.

B) As per a study by University of Southern California, routine exercise improves the brain’s ability to process dopamine.

Ways to help out a senior person suffering from Parkinson’s to begin an exercise program include:

A) First and foremost, an older person especially someone living with a chronic health condition should talk with their treating physician. This will ensure on the part of the adult with PD to engage in activities that are appropriate for their abilities.

B) One can also go through “Tips for Becoming Physically Active” by the Parkinson’s Foundation which can prove to be highly beneficial for individuals with PD.

There are no two ways about the fact that staying physically active is important at any age. If you have senior family members who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, they would require constant assistance at all times. For that approach Anthem Senior Living in the Phoenix region in Arizona. We host wellness activities designed to make staying fit easy and fun.