Journal of Alzheimers Disease & Parkinsonism
Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: Motoric, psychical, emotional and sensory disorders determine the quality of life of people with Parkinson�¢����s disease. They burden daily life activities and influence interpersonal relationship, and increase the risk of injuries. The studies reveal that enabling or in other words the encouragement of people�¢����s abilities, motivation, learning, self-assessment and provision with target knowledge is extremely significant for persons with Parkinson�¢���� disease. It is of great importance that they would believe that they are able, have some skills and they are worth some resources, necessary for their physical and social functioning. Aim: To improve life quality of the people with Parkinson�¢����s disease (PD) under physical and psychosocial approach. Project target group�¢����people with PD (N=60). The interdisciplinary team that consisted of 30 lecturers and some tens of students-volunteers worked in the following project activities. Project duration-10 months (2016-2017). During the project there were delivered 1) interactive seminars under underlying issues for the people with PD and their relatives 2) there were organized camps of selfexpression and healthy movement, devoted to the people with PD 3) there were conducted visits to the people, distinguishing by limited movement at their home, during which there were applied integral methods of nursing and rehabilitation. Methodology: Applying a partially structured interview, it was sought to find out what benefits for life quality were gained through the participation in the project for the people with PD. The research was grounded on the thematic analysis. Findings: All the people with PD, participating in the project highlighted their positive experience and positive impact on their life quality. The following experiences were reflected under cognitive approach�¢����when people with PD, gained target knowledge in terms of self-care possibilities, being ill with this disease. Under physical approach, life quality improved due to the participation in different forums of physical activity. The researched paid the greatest value to the psychological changes, when they learnt to cognize themselves, trust themselves and assess themselves positively; to set new aims for themselves and implement them. Under social approach, positive benefit was gained through the mutual activities with students, lecturers, deeper cognition of old and new people with PD and participation in mutual integral social activities. Conclusion & Significance: Interdisciplinary approach and application of integral techniques is very significant for the decrease of physical disorders of the people with Parkinson�¢����s disease and it aids at the improvement of emotional condition and social integration.

Biography

Viktorija Piscalkiene is cuurently working in Kaunas University of Applied Sciences, Lithuania. From 1993–2005 she worked in the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) Kaunas klinikos. Her areas of scientific interests are psychosocial aspects in nursing, research of healthy ageing, evaluation of educational environment, educational evaluation of children with ADHD and opportunities for complex aid.