Sources for more information Parkinson's Disease Research Education & Clinical Centers New Research Information

Exercise Parkinson’s disease and fall prevention May Help Parkinson's Patients Fall The study compared 3 groups of PD patients, Falls Prevention Workbook—141 pages those receiving Tai Chi training, resistance http://www.parkinson.org/NationalParkinsonFo training or stretching. Compared to the other undation/files/e7/e724e004-ab48-4a08-84ab- b8506bf77600.pdf two groups, the group who practiced Tai Chi, Prevention

(which is a gentle physical exercise that involves slow, graceful movements), had Understanding Parkinson’s: Falls more improvement in their and Prevention walking ability. http://www.pdf.org/pdf/fs_falls_prevention_ N Engl J Med. 2012 Feb 9;366(6):511-9. 10.pdf

Vitamin D General information on preventing falls In a study of variation in walking stride, it was noted that a sample of older adults with Preventing Falls – Helping your loved one low levels of vitamin D had more variation, become more independent- and thus less control. By RESCUE-Resources & Education for Neurology. 2011 May 10;76(19):1617-22. Caregivers’ Understanding and Empowerment Epub 2011 Apr 6. http://www.rorc.research.va.gov/rescue/docs/in dependent-living/preventing-falls.pdf Another study reviewed and combined the results of 26 other studies that looked at vitamin D use and risk of falls and concluded Fall Prevention: 6 tips to prevent falls that vitamin D combined with calcium By Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). reduced the risk of falls. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fall- PARKINSON'S J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 prevention/HQ00657 DISEASE Oct;96(10):2997-3006. Epub 2011 Jul 27 Check for Safety- A Home Fall Prevention Neither of these vitamin studies was done Checklist for Older Adults specifically with Parkinson’s disease By CDC –Centers for Disease Control and Prevention patients, but other studies have found that vitamin D deficiency is common in http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafet y/pubs/English/booklet_Eng_desktop-a.pdf Parkinson’s disease patients.

Parkinson’s Disease Research Education and Clinical Centers (PADRECC) www.parkinsons.va.gov

Medical Support Household Safety Self- Help

 Follow up closely with your medical  Avoid clutter - throw rugs, decorative  Try to take your on time. team to fine tune your medications to items, furniture, etc.  Taking Levodopa at least 30 minutes improve your ‘on’ time.  Do not use electric or telephone cords in before having a protein meal will  Let your doctor know about all your walking areas/hallways. usually help you achieve a better effect medications, including over the counter  Use grab bars in the bathroom and non- with your . drugs and supplements. Some skid tub mats or adhesive strips in the  Drink water liberally to avoid becoming medications can interact with each other bath tub. dehydrated. and make you groggy or dizzy.  Have a bath bench available to use in

 Your doctor can prescribe safety the bathtub or shower area.  When you are standing, try to keep your

devices, such as grab bars and raised feet approximately shoulder width apart  Have hand rails on both sides of a to maintain balance. toilet seats, assistive devices for stairway or along one wall of long ambulation such as special canes and hallways.  Use stretching exercises to stay limber walkers that may improve your stability  For stairways, have a light switch both and resistance exercises to increase your and prevent falls. at the top and bottom ends. strength.  Your doctor can prescribe physical and  Mark the edges of the steps for easy  Therapeutic Qi Gong and Tai Chi are sessions to help visibility. ancient Chinese exercises that improve you regain strength, improve posture and to train you in the proper use of  Lamps and light switches should be balance. Look for fitness centers or assistive devices. easily accessible, especially without support groups that offer these classes. having to get up from a chair or a bed to  Have your vision checked and corrected  Change positions slowly from lying to reach them. at least once a year. Avoid the use of sitting or sitting to standing.  To avoid the need for reaching and bifocals or trifocals while walking. A  Try to avoid carrying objects using both stooping, keep items you use frequently, separate pair of for distance hands so one hand remains free. vision can be used at that time. (such as kitchen utensils) at waist level.  Eat a healthy diet and get adequate sleep  Request to be screened for peripheral  Have a rolling cart in the kitchen to help you carry items from the counter to the to be at your best. neuropathy, a condition that causes table. numbness in the feet along with poor  Use your prescribed walking aids balance.  Have your bed at a height that you can regularly get up from easily, but not so high that  Have your vitamin D levels checked,  Wear appropriately fitting shoes with your feet are off the floor when sitting especially if you have infrequent non-skid soles. on it. exposure to sunlight. Deficiency of  When frozen, picture a line or spot on  Use night lights, especially if you need vitamin D has been associated with the floor and imagine stepping over it to increased weakness and falls. to get up at night. unfreeze.  Hallways should be well lit and floors should have non-skid surfaces.