Case Study # 1 John is 63 years old and receives home care by an occupational therapist twice a week. His therapist is currently working with John on maintaining joint flexibility and balance. John demonstrates resting tremor, so his therapist is also working on adaptive techniques, so John can continue to use his hands to write, use the computer, and cook simple meals. John’s wife assists with his mobility and walks slowly beside him, holding his arm. Sometimes she needs to help him open his prescription bottles, so he can take his medicine, a combination of levodopa and carbidopa

Case Study # 1 John is 63 years old and receives home care by an occupational therapist twice a week. His therapist is currently working with John on maintaining joint flexibility and balance. John demonstrates resting tremor, so his therapist is also working on adaptive techniques, so John can continue to use his hands to write, use the computer, and cook simple meals. John’s wife assists with his mobility and walks slowly beside him, holding his arm. Sometimes she needs to help him open his prescription bottles, so he can take his medicine, a combination of levodopa and carbidopa

. 1. What motor disease does John demonstrate? One of his signs is resting tremor. John has Parkinson Disease which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease which affects motor ability[Ign17]. The cardinal signs of Parkinson’s disease are resting tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia (slow movement) or akinesia (no movement) and postural instability[Ign17]. Due to the resting tremors the slow voluntary movements and reduced automatic movements are seen with difficulty with handwriting and fine motor movement.

What is the difference between a resting tremor and an intention tremor? Symptoms of tremors may include rhythmic shaking in the hands, arms, hand, legs, or torso. It may include a shaky voice, difficultly writing or drawing, problems holding and controlling utensils, such as a spoon. When the patient becomes stressed or exhausted the tremors may worsen. A resting tremor is when the muscle is relaxed, such resting your hands on your lap[NIH17]. In Parkinson’s disease the “pillrolling” tremor because the circular finger and hand movements resemble rolling of pills in the hand[NIH17]. An intention tremor is when there is purposeful movement towards a target such as touching the nose or feeding yourself and the tremor will become worse as the patient gets closer to their desired target [NIH17]