November 29, 2014 5:00 am • Molly Barari Journal correspondent
Every Friday from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bill Van Heukelem
splashes his way through the Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery in Water class at
the Roosevelt Swim Center. The 73-year-old was diagnosed with Parkinson’s
disease 12 years ago, and the class has done wonders to help alleviate his
symptoms.
“I enjoy the water class at the Swim Center because we can
work on balance without fear of falling and learn how our arms, trunk and legs
are all connected and work together to help us balance on land,” he said.
The Mayo Clinic describes Parkinson's as a progressive
disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. The disease develops
gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand.
In addition to tremors, the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing
of movement. There is no cure for the disease, and it affects each person
differently.
“Parkinson's disease not only affects movement but also
interferes with things that others can't see, such as the digestive system,
vascular system, sense of smell, and ability to sleep,” said Van Heukelem. “I
have given up hunting because I can no longer hold the gun steady and my
reaction time is slower and less predictable. I gave up golfing because I was
too uncoordinated.”
Van Heukelem said he’s less affected by his symptoms when
he’s riding his horse or exercising, which is why he makes time for the weekly
water class. He appreciates that class instructor Bjo Schreier is knowledgeable
about the bio-mechanics of Parkinson’s disease.
“She teaches us how to move efficiently and tone our muscles
to increase our fitness and endurance,” he said. “She makes the class fun and
makes us feel like teammates, so it’s interactive and as much a social event as
it is a workout. We learn that we can do much more than we and our friends
thought we could.”
According to Schreier, the class is designed to have dynamic
movements. “We took our class to the water for more stability and more
resistance (strength) work. It allows for fun falling. We practice super sounds
– word groupings that require tricky diction – to help with learning the
sensations of speech, both diction and volume. We also do memory work. Everyone
picks a name of a vehicle and we throw the ball to someone calling his name.
All our classes require very mindful attention in order to reestablish new
neuro-pathways.”
Schreier said she’d like to cut through the stigma associated
with Parkinson’s. “If you hear that you have Parkinson’s disease, your life is
not destroyed; it is redesigned. I’d like the community to know that those with
Parkinson’s are not mentally retarded, drunk nor disinterested. These are
symptomatic conditions and the person is same person masked underneath these
characteristics. It is our joyful duty to continue to relate to the person and
not to his condition in order to continue relationships.”
Van Heukelem’s wife, Laurie, said people often don’t understand
that those with Parkinson’s disease speak slower and quieter than others. It’s
important to encourage them to speak louder and to take their time. She also
said facial muscles are affected, so it takes more prompting to elicit a smile
or other expression.
“Our grandson is the best at making Bill smile,” she said.
“As Bill’s disease progresses, we come across bumps in the road, so to speak,
but then we tend to adapt and seek ways to improve the quality of our lives. It
is important for care partners to seek support from others who live with those
who have Parkinson’s.”
http://health.einnews.com/article/237212179/totVGKcBW8Ugt_j3?n=2&code=ga_qGBxHZ2aVYO4P
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