Care Resource Staff Completes Certification for Novel Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Therapy program targets walking and balance to improve quality of life, avoid falls with Parkinson’s patients

East Providence, R.I. (April 27, 2017): A new therapy program at Care Resource, an East Providence-based home health agency, home care and medical supply company serving patients throughout Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, is helping patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) to improve function and slow motor deterioration through exercise in the home setting. The therapy will reduce the incidents of patient falls in the home and, as a result, prevent Emergency Room visits and hospital admissions.

Care Resource’s physical and occupational therapists have recently completed certification in the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) BIG method, a proven protocol for in-home Physical and Occupational Therapy developed in the late 1980s. The LSVT BIG method certifies therapists in major motor skills training to help PD patients improve their walking, movement of the arms and legs, and balance. BIG training involves the patient using “big” movements with repetition and varying complexity.

According to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, PD is a chronic and progressive movement disorder with symptoms that continue and worsen over time. There is no cure and one can only manage its symptoms. Common symptoms include shaking of the hands and legs, slowness of movement, rigidity of the limbs and trunk, and impaired balance and coordination. Individuals with PD typically have trouble walking.

“One million people currently have Parkinson’s disease in the U.S. and, unfortunately, its prevalence is expected to double by 2040,” states Bernard A. Lambrese, CEO of Care Resource, LLC. “This new treatment we offer is intensive and can only be administered by certified therapists. Patient outcomes are astounding in achieving marked improvements in gait, range of motion, strength, fall reduction, and more. It is our goal to improve the quality of life for all who suffer from this disorder and who wish to reap the benefits of this novel treatment right in their own homes. Falls often lead to ambulance rides, so any time we can provide a therapy that reduces the risk of falls in the home, we can help avoid ER visits and hospital admissions.”

LSVT BIG treatment involves 16 rehab sessions in one month over 4 consecutive days per week. All one-hour sessions are direct with the therapist and daily homework exercise is required to be completed by the patient in addition to the session. A “tune up” is planned every 3-6 months based upon individual needs of the patient to ensure continuity.

The local Care Resource clinician who recently completed the LSVT training course certification held in Worcester, Mass. is Occupational Therapist Lyndsey Rosario (Seekonk, Mass. resident).

“LSVT is proven to be effective for positive changes in neural functioning,” comments Physical Therapist Julie Polseno, who serves as regional rehabilitation director at Care Resource. “We have also seen patients recover the ability to walk one block with 50% reduced shuffling, or become able to complete an upper body dressing task independently after this therapy.”