What Parkinson’s Disease Feels Like: Body Illusion Lets You Experience Tremors
People living with Parkinson’s disease have trouble doing simple tasks, like holding spoons, eating, and even talking. Flickr / CC BY 2.0
People with Parkinson’s disease experience tremors on a daily basis that make it difficult for them to write, eat food, and simply hold items. Most of us take these things for granted.
But living in someone else’s shoes for a day or so can make an impact on our empathy and understanding of the world. That’s what one interactive project aims to do with Parkinson’s disease. “Transports,” an interactive installation piece, simulates the tremors and other physical effects of Parkinson’s disease using body illusions. Sit at a table, put on a fitted glove attached to a motorized device, then look at a screen that depicts the view from “Andrew,” a man living with early symptoms of Parkinson’s. Your hand will begin to shake as you attempt to follow his actions.
Andrew is in his 30s in the installation, making him even more perturbed by the way his hands are shaking, especially in public. The participant attempts to grab a spoon while the motorized glove shakes, making it nearly impossible, while watching Andrew attempt to do the same in real life (and hear his distressed thoughts, highlighting the psychological impact of the disease).
While Parkinson’s disease mostly affects people who are older than 50, it can affect young people as well. Early symptoms occur gradually, affecting daily activities like chewing, swallowing, and even speaking; they can often leading to depression or other emotional issues.
“If someone is in their 30s, the symptoms may be interpreted in a different way in a public context,” Lian Jarvis, a research student in the Department of Drama and Theatre at the Royal Holloway University of London, who came up with the project along with his team from the Analogue theatre company, said. “We’re hoping to challenge these expectations.”
He noted that a “disease is a lens allowing a person to experience the world slightly different. As an artist, I see potential for learning about a condition using our craft.” Indeed, allowing regular people (and even health care professionals) to experience life with different diseases could increase empathy, understanding, and compassion where we most need it.
http://www.healthfeeds.co/2016/02/05/what-parkisons-disease-feels-like-and-drug-rehab/
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