Parkinson

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease of the brain. It usually occurs in older people and severely limits mobility.

To date, the causes of Parkinson's disease are not fully understood. Parkinson's disease usually progresses slowly, so that those affected can lead a largely independent life for a long time after diagnosis.

Symptoms

The following symptoms are typical of Parkinson's disease:

  • Muscle stiffness
  • Problems with walking and posture
  • Resting tremor
  • Sudden loss of balance
  • Sleep problems
  • Memory disorders
  • Speech disorders
  • Emotional vulnerability

Group therapies

Every Tuesday from 09:00 to 12:00, we offer a therapeutic programme for people with Parkinson's disease: interdisciplinary group therapy. 

Our team offers sessions combining speech therapy, neuropsychology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and adapted physical activity.

The aim of this programme is to enable people suffering from this disease to maintain their physical and cognitive abilities while working as part of a team and interacting with their peers.

These sessions are aimed at all people with Parkinson's disease who move around independently, with or without aids.

A medical prescription certifying that insurance cover is available for each discipline (the «group session» box must be ticked) is required.

Contact and sign-up:

groupeparkinson@cliniquevalmont.ch

+ 41 21 962 38 41

Causes

Gradually, certain functions of the central nervous system become impaired due to a lack of dopamine production. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that enables the conduction of "messages" between neurons. This deficiency leads to various motor function disorders. However, very quickly over the course of the disease, neurons in other brain regions, which are independent of dopamine production, are also affected. Parkinson's can also be caused by other neurological diseases, such as dementia.

Treatment

There is currently no cure, but there are effective options that can relieve symptoms. These include medications, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, neuropsychology and speech therapy.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy aims to maintain joint and muscle function. This can improve coordination and restore balance. With the help of strategies to improve movement control, gait/locomotion is positively influenced.

Rehabilitation in occupational therapy

In occupational therapy, treatments are carried out to restore the patient's independence as much as possible. This includes techniques for personal hygiene and dressing.

The therapy also focuses on the following points:

  • Independent movement even when resting (for example, turning in bed).
  • Working out ways to compensate in order to reduce the tremor
  • Maintaining handwriting
  • Training an upright posture
  • Minimising the risk of falling

Rehabilitation through adapted physical activity

In order to maintain general mobility, the patient is given a variety of exercises or suitable sporting activities:

  • Loosening exercises for general mobility
  • Improving balance through climbing, ball games or dancing
  • Improving coordination with the help of Nordic walking or pilates

Rehabilitation in neuropsychology

Neuropsychology is used to train existing skills in order to rehabilitate and/or compensate for impaired cognitive abilities.

Neuropsychological care focuses on the following points:

  • Strengthening memory performance
  • Improving executive functions (e.g., dealing with multitasking, planning everyday tasks)
  • Reducing attention deficits (e.g., speed of information processing)

Different approaches are used to achieve this:

  • Games that target cognitive functions
  • Special computer software (RehaCom, iGerip, Cogniplus®)
  • Paper-and-pencil exercises

Rehabilitation in speech therapy

Speech therapy sessions focus on improving speech, voice and swallowing disorders.

The following therapies are used during the sessions:

  • LSVT® method (Lee Silvermann Voice Treatment) - to improve voice and articulation
  • Therapeutic meals (adjusting the texture of meals, learning techniques that protect the airway)
  • Oral, speech and facial motor exercises

Alternative means of communication can also be introduced to help patients better communicate and interact with the environment.

Therapists

Clinique Valmont

Maud Ismail

Specialisation
Occupational therapy, MindMotion™ GO, REAplan® - robot-assisted rehabilitation of the upper limbs, IVS-3 View more
Clinique Valmont

Cécile Robert

Specialisation
Occupational therapy, REAplan® - robot-assisted rehabilitation of the upper limbs, MindMotion™ GO, IVS-3 View more
Clinique Valmont

Houssem Boutaieb

Specialisation
Occupational therapy, MindMotion™ GO, REAplan® - robot-assisted rehabilitation of the upper limbs, IVS-3, Paediatric occupational therapy, View more
Clinique Valmont

Jessica Cecillon

Specialisation
Occupational therapy, REAplan® - robot-assisted rehabilitation of the upper limbs, IVS-3, MindMotion™ GO View more
Clinique Valmont

Zoé Gallmann

Specialisation
Occupational therapy, MindMotion™ GO, REAplan® - robot-assisted rehabilitation of the upper limbs, IVS-3 View more
Clinique Valmont

Marion Galvan

Specialisation
Occupational therapy, MindMotion™ GO, REAplan® - robot-assisted rehabilitation of the upper limbs, IVS-3 View more
Clinique Valmont

Marine Guilbot

Specialisation
Occupational therapy, REAplan® - robot-assisted rehabilitation of the upper limbs, MindMotion™ GO, IVS-3 View more
Clinique Valmont

Maureen Tournay

Specialisation
Occupational therapy, Canine-assisted therapy, REAplan® - robot-assisted rehabilitation of the upper limbs, IVS-3, MindMotion™ GO View more
Clinique Valmont

Camille Bancharel

Specialisation
Neuropsychology
Clinique Valmont

Céline Bosset

Specialisation
Neuropsychology
Clinique Valmont

Florence Dumoulin

Specialisation
Speech therapy
Clinique Valmont

Paulo Da Cunha Ribeiro

Specialisation
Physiotherapy, Medical training therapy (MTT), Lyra Gait, Alter G, Global reconditioning View more
Clinique Valmont

Raphaël Zaugg

Specialisation
Physiotherapy, Lyra Gait, Medical training therapy (MTT), Global reconditioning, Alter G View more
Clinique Valmont

Charlotte Brun

Specialisation
Adapted physical activity, Alter G, Global reconditioning, Parkinson View more
Clinique Valmont

Chloé Fritsch

Specialisation
Physiotherapy, Medical training therapy (MTT), Lyra Gait, Alter G, Global reconditioning, Parkinson View more
Clinique Valmont

Grégory Gamot

Specialisation
Adapted physical activity, Alter G, Global reconditioning
Clinique Valmont

Sara Manieri

Specialisation
Physiotherapy, Medical training therapy (MTT), Lyra Gait, Alter G, Global reconditioning View more
Clinique Valmont

Yoann Mougenot

Specialisation
Adapted physical activity, Alter G, Global reconditioning
Clinique Valmont

Géraldine Seuret

Specialisation
Physiotherapy, Medical training therapy (MTT), Lyra Gait, Alter G, Global reconditioning View more
Clinique Valmont

Chanel Tordeur

Specialisation
Physiotherapy, Medical training therapy (MTT), Lyra Gait, Alter G, Global reconditioning View more

Are you interested in a rehabilitation stay at the Clinique Valmont?

Please do not hesitate to contact us; our admissions department will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

+41 21 962 37 40

admissions@cliniquevalmont.ch

Admission questionnaire

Doctors with this specialisation

Clinique Valmont

Dr. med. Julien Bogousslavsky

Specialisation
Neurology, Neurological rehabilitation, Stroke, Parkinson, Multiple sclerosis View more
Clinique Valmont

Dr. med. Sarah Berrut

Specialisation
Neurology, Neurological rehabilitation, Stroke, Parkinson, Multiple sclerosis View more

News

Parkinson's Group: patient testimonials

Video presentation of the Parkinson Group

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