Muhammad Ali was a famous boxer diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease (PD) at the age of 41. Up until his diagnosis, not much was known about PD. But thanks to his previous fame and philanthropy involvement in raising awareness and money for PD, this disease has received a lot of attention and research in treatment options. As an OT, the focus should primarily be on promoting occupational performance in areas of interest such as public speaking and traveling. Education on managing a schedule and medication should be taught not only to Ali but also to his caregiver. Big and Loud treatment for Parkinson's Disease is a therapeutic measure that integrates the profession of OT, PT and SLP in an attempt to promote health throughout the body. Thanks to the tireless work of Ali, awareness of PD is growing in the public.
Today we talked about Stephen Hawking, renown scientist and lecturer, and his fight with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The incredible thing about him is that while he now is completely dependent on the help of others, he is still pursuing his passion of writing, science and speaking. While he is dependent on a tracheotomy for breathing functions and cannot actually speak, he has found ways to communicate and live life to the fullest. In fact, Assistive Technology (AT) has helped him to communicate by use of cheek movements in selecting words and phrases on a computer. Even though his AT has helped, Hawking's therapy should focus on continued effort to find the most advanced AT and adaptive equipment so that his continued loss of function will not impede his ability to pursue his desires and interests. Goals for OT involve training caregivers on how to us AT, discovering new techniques and methods to incorporate in his daily life, and helping him to f...
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