Intervention and Rehabilitation Model to Improve the Quality of Life for People Living with Parkinson’s

The Geriatric Day Hospital at CSSS Alphonse-Desjardins implemented an innovative geriatric rehabilitation model to improve the quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s. It is an interdisciplinary approach that includes the practical application of cognitive strategies. The ultimate goal of this approach is to delay—if not avoid—institutionalization, as well as to decrease hospitalizations and the consequences of frequent falls among this client base. Primarily, this approach allows the person to improve their quality of life by reclaiming important activities, and by allowing them to rely less on others on a daily basis. Parkinson’s disease has a number of symptoms that can seriously affect autonomy by creating challenges around daily activities. Eventually, these hindrances can compromise one’s ability to maintain a household and can lead to institutionalization. The concept behind this innovative, evidence-based intervention model consists of bypassing brain circuits affected by the disease, through the application of cognitive strategies, by using alternate, intact, neurological pathways to effect daily activities. Developed by a team of experts at the Geriatric Day Hospital at CSSS Alphonse-Desjardins, the approach has led to some remarkable results. Furthermore, the fact that these are interdisciplinary strategies makes for an optimal rehabilitation process. This intervention model has allowed clients to improve their autonomy and promote home support by decreasing falls, increasing transfer and mobility capacity, helping them reclaim their social life, and improve their mood.