Un”Park”ed with Music
TweetPeople with Parkinson’s disease have experienced temporary relief of the “freezing” aspect of Parkinson’s Disease — a heavy and shuffling gait that makes some feel like their feet are glued to the floor – when they do something more difficult to do than walking: dance.
The combination of playing music and moving to the beat helps Parkinson’s patients begin a march-like step that can sometimes converted into dance steps. For those of us who take for granted our ability to move, this short video clip that aired on NBC Nightly News in 2008 will inspire you keep on doing what you love, even as the body and mind slow down:
While music and dance won’t cure Parkinson’s, it appears that both can help those with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s to get themselves un”park”ed out of their chairs and walkers, sometimes for a couple of hours at a time. And if you are a caregiver, or you know someone with Parkinson’s, getting people who are otherwise chair-bound up and moving is essential toward keeping them healthy and active.
There are international centers that study the effects of music on humans. You might have heard of the Mozart Effect with a book by author Don Campbell. Yet we are still learning about the effects of dance on slowing down the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Dance appears to have an amazing affect on Parkinson’s.
Whether young or old, I hope to see you on the dance floor, marching to your own beat.
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