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The Connection Between Gut Health and Parkinson’s
Experts are looking to the gut to learn more about how changes to gut microbiome diversity may cause or worsen Parkinson’s symptoms.
Parkinson’s Therapy
Our Parkinson’s rehabilitation program offers the latest treatments and specialized services to help you get the most out of life.
If you’re living with Parkinson’s disease, specialized therapy is a key element for improving gait, speech and movement, and maintaining the highest quality of life. At Henry Ford Health, we offer a comprehensive Parkinson’s rehabilitation program. Our licensed therapists work with you to build a personalized care plan for your unique challenges and goals.
Parkinson’s therapy: Why choose Henry Ford?
- Whole-person care: Our Parkinson’s rehabilitation therapists evaluate all the ways the condition is affecting your life. This includes assessing physical, mental and emotional barriers before working with you to develop a personalized care plan.
- Experienced team: We have therapists certified in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy (LSVT) BIG® and LSVT LOUD®, as well as PWR!Moves®. You receive care from experts with extensive training in these highly effective, evidence-based therapies.
- Specialized services: Our extensive Parkinson’s therapy program offers specialty care that can help with the effects of Parkinson’s disease. We provide neurorehabilitation, pain therapy, balance and vestibular rehabilitation, speech therapy and other services.
- Convenient access: With locations throughout southeast and south central Michigan and the greater Flint area, we make it easy to get the Parkinson’s therapy you need. Our large staff and extensive network mean you can get timely treatment near home, work or school.
- Integrated care: Our Parkinson’s rehabilitation team also works closely with Parkinson’s specialists at the Henry Ford Movement Disorders Center. We can connect you with a provider at this specialty clinic, or coordinate care with your current physician.
- Parkinson’s exercise classes: We also offer specialized exercise classes for Parkinson’s patients.
FAQs about Parkinson’s therapy at Henry Ford Health
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How Can Your Parkinson’s Therapy Program Help Me?
Parkinson’s disease affects everyone differently. Therapists learn about your specific challenges and how they’re affecting your life at home, work or in the community. Parkinson’s rehabilitation can help with:
- Difficulties with activities of daily living (ADL)
- Freezing, or feeling like you’re stuck in place
- Posture or gait instability
- Slow body movement (bradykinesia)
- Small body movements (hypokinesia)
- Soft speech (hypophonia)
- Stiff body movements (hypertonia)
- Fall prevention
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What Parkinson’s Rehabilitation Treatments Do You Offer?
Our treatments for Parkinson’s are based on improving three core aspects of your voice and body mechanics:
- Amplitude: Changes in your sensory system can make it hard to perform movements fully. This may make it hard to stand, walk normally or reach for objects. Therapists work on helping you project, or amplify, your movements.
- Calibration: You may feel as though you’re shouting even when you’re talking softly. We help you recognize when and how to project your voice to achieve the right volume when speaking with others.
- Modification: We show you how to modify your routine and your environment to meet your changing needs. Therapists identify the tasks that you most want to accomplish and provide strategies for completing them safely.
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What Are LSVT and PWR!Moves?
As the name suggests, LSVT BIG and LSVT LOUD are designed to help those living with Parkinson’s speak “loud” and move “big.” We also offer PWR!Moves, which focuses on helping you recover specific skills through exercise. All of our therapy programs for Parkinson’s disease are taught by specially trained therapists:
- LSVT BIG: Physical or occupational therapists help you perform exercises and teach skills that improve major motor skills such as walking, balance and arm and leg movements.
- LSVT LOUD: Speech-language pathologists teach patients how to stimulate voice box muscles, which increases vocal loudness without shouting or yelling.
- PWR!Moves: Exercises help you overcome specific symptoms of Parkinson’s. We target issues such as rigidity, slow movements and loss of coordination.
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What Do I Need to Start Parkinson’s Rehabilitation?
- Get a referral: A referral for Parkinson’s therapy that’s dated and has been signed by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner within the last 90 days.
- Make an appointment: With this referral, you can schedule an appointment by calling one of our locations, or through your Henry Ford MyChart account.
- Provide your information: Either way, our team will gather information from you about your condition and referring provider, and will also verify your insurance coverage.
- Start your treatment: Then you’ll be paired with the most appropriate therapist for your needs and start your Parkinson’s rehabilitation.
You should also plan to attend regularly scheduled therapy appointments to ensure that you get the most out of treatment.
How Dance Can Help People With Parkinson’s Disease
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