Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy can help people with Parkinson's continue to carry out everyday activities.
This information explains how occupational therapy can help people with Parkinson’s and where you can find a therapist.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy helps people with everyday tasks. It is provided by a healthcare professional called an occupational therapist, or OT for short.
They work with people who are having trouble with daily jobs and activities. They can help you find ways to manage those tasks more easily and live more independently.
Occupational therapy isn’t just about tasks at work. "Occupations" are any activities that you need or want to do. This includes activities at home, in the workplace or when you’re out in public. It’s about helping you to be as independent and safe as possible.
How occupational therapy can help
If you have Parkinson’s, you may find it more difficult to do some everyday activities, such as cooking, getting in or out of bed or going shopping.
Everyone’s Parkinson’s is different, so not everyone will have trouble with the same things.
Clinical guidelines say that people with Parkinson’s should see an occupational therapist who has experience of working with people with the condition. This should happen soon after you’re diagnosed, but occupational therapy services may not be available in every area.
The role of an occupational therapist can change depending on the setting they work in. For example, an occupational therapist working in a council social services department may be able to help arrange major home adaptations, whereas an independent occupational therapist may not.
How an occupational therapist can help also depends on your Parkinson’s symptoms and how advanced your Parkinson’s is. As much as possible, your occupational therapist will help you with self-management.
Self-management means giving you education and guidance to help you manage your Parkinson’s symptoms yourself. For example, your occupational therapist may suggest education programmes for people newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s, or courses on specific symptoms such as fatigue or tremor.
If your Parkinson’s symptoms are more advanced, an occupational therapist may suggest changes to your home to help you to do things you find difficult.
Adapting daily tasks and recommending equipment
Occupational therapists can:
- show you a different method or piece of equipment to make a task easier. They may recommend changes to your clothing, like using Velcro instead of shoelaces
- recommend practical changes, such as rearranging your furniture to make it safer to move around at home
- suggest "cues" that may help you perform activities and complete tasks. Cues can be a sound, visual (like markings on the floor), or mental (such as mentally rehearsing a movement before you do it). Cues can encourage you to start moving or improve the quality of your movements.
Planning ahead
Occupational therapists can give you tips on:
- scheduling tasks for when you’re feeling your best
- multi-tasking
- planning for tasks that may become a problem in the future
-
promoting general mental and physical wellbeing, such as making it easier for you to stay active.
Accessing further support
Your occupational therapist may refer you to:
- other healthcare professionals, such as a speech and language therapist or a physiotherapist
- organisations that can advise on getting financial support
- enjoyable ways to get active, such as classes, walking groups or home work-outs
- local (or online) social or community activities that interest you. This could include opportunities to learn new skills or volunteer
- organisations that can provide information on driving, public transport and practical travel help. They can tell you how to apply for a Blue Badge parking permit.
Occupational therapists will always be guided by what’s important to you, such as seeing friends and family, working or your hobbies and interests.
Read more about driving and Parkinson’s and help with getting around.
What happens at an occupational therapy appointment
Your occupational therapist will usually ask you about:
- how your Parkinson’s affects you
- daily tasks and activities that are more difficult because of your Parkinson’s, or any other health condition
- your roles and responsibilities at work and home
- the types of activities that you need or want to do.
They’ll ask you about what is most important to you, your usual lifestyle and what may be stopping you from carrying out daily routines.
From there, they will usually write you a treatment plan, which will set some targets for the tasks that you’ve discussed.
This normally includes your goals and how you can achieve them.
A friend, family member or carer can be involved in sessions if you wish. They might help you get the most from your appointment by taking notes or asking questions. With permission, they might record or film exercises or strategies so you can practise them later.
Appointments may take place in your home, your occupational therapist’s clinic or at your place of work.
You could use your appointment to choose equipment or adaptations for your home or workplace. Or you might practise a specific technique, such as safely getting on and off your bed.
Before you get to your appointment, it may help to write down your thoughts about your symptoms and any problems with daily tasks. Think about the activities and goals that are important to you, and how your symptoms might be disrupting them.
Your occupational therapist will be interested in both your motor (movement) and non-motor Parkinson’s symptoms.
It can sometimes be difficult to talk about how Parkinson’s affects daily activities, especially if you did those activities more easily in the past. But your occupational therapist will be supportive and non-judgemental. They are there to help you.
Read more about getting the most out of your occupational therapy appointment.
Help with Parkinson’s symptoms
Occupational therapists can help with a range of Parkinson’s symptoms.
The motor symptoms of Parkinson’s, such as a tremor or stiff muscles, can affect everyday tasks, such as tying your shoe laces, buttoning your coat or applying make-up. Some people find these symptoms frustrating or embarrassing.
Your occupational therapist can suggest exercises to improve the small movements of your hands and fingers (fine motor skills).
They can also suggest aids which can help reduce tremor, such as adapted cutlery which is easier to grip.
An occupational therapist can give you tips to help you:
- move around safely
- prevent falls, such as by assessing the lighting and furniture in your home
- practise safe ways of moving from one surface to another (for example, getting up from a chair or toilet).
An occupational therapist can help break down movements, such as moving from sitting to standing up, and help you practise them one at a time. They can work with physiotherapists to help you move as independently as possible.
Read more about falls and Parkinson’s.
Your occupational therapist may ask you to keep a diary of how you feel during the day. You can record what tasks make you tired and if there are times of the day when you feel more tired.
They might encourage you to:
- plan tasks for when you’re feeling your best
- arrange physical activity for when you have the most energy. They may work with your physiotherapist, if you have one, to help you with this
- schedule rest during the day.
Thinking and memory in Parkinson’s changes can include:
- becoming more forgetful
- confusion
- problems concentrating or difficulty making decisions.
Your occupational therapist can teach you more about thinking and memory changes in Parkinson’s, and where to find further support.
Read tips from an occupational therapist on managing confusion and thinking and memory problems.
Parkinson’s can make your voice quieter. If you’re having trouble being heard, an occupational therapist can work alongside your speech and language therapist to help improve your communication.
Slowness and stiffness can make using a computer or mobile phone more difficult too. An occupational therapist can suggest training, techniques and adaptations to help you use your devices.
People with Parkinson’s can experience problems with writing including smaller handwriting or writing more slowly.
Occupational therapists can give you strategies to help with this, including avoiding distractions while you are writing, or paying attention to each letter as you write.
Anxiety in Parkinson’s might be due to changes in chemicals in the brain or because of your concerns about living with a long-term condition.
You may feel less confident about joining in with activities because you are worried about falling, communicating or eating and drinking in public. Your occupational therapist can help you feel more confident about things you're worried about, which should help you to feel less anxious.
An occupational therapist may be able to help you find strategies to deal with anxiety, such as relaxation techniques. They can also refer you to a mental health professional if necessary.
Apathy is a loss of motivation for doing things, including planning tasks or doing things you enjoy.
If you’re struggling with apathy, let your occupational therapist know - they may suggest ways to help you get back to doing activities you enjoy.
Read more about any of the symptoms above or visit our online shop to order free printed information.
Finding an occupational therapist
You can usually contact an occupational therapist through your:
- GP
- council’s social services or social work department
- health and social care trust (Northern Ireland).
In some areas, an occupational therapist may be able to visit you at home.
Unfortunately, in some areas, referral to an NHS occupational therapist may not be possible.
Our helpline can help you work out what may be available near you.
Occupational therapy and multidisciplinary teams
Everyone’s experience of Parkinson’s is different and getting the right care from healthcare professionals is important to make sure your Parkinson’s symptoms are managed well.
Sometimes, a team of health professionals will work together to plan the treatment that is best for you. This is called a multidisciplinary team, or MDT for short. An occupational therapist may be a member of your MDT, along with other professionals such as a Parkinson’s nurse, physiotherapist or a speech and language therapist.
You’re at the centre of your MDT, and your treatment should be tailored to your specific needs. Not everyone will have an MDT. This depends on how your symptoms affect you, and what services are available in your area.
Read more about getting the right healthcare.
Private occupational therapy
You can pay for occupational therapy.
Occupational therapy at work
Depending on your job and your symptoms, it can be possible to continue working with Parkinson’s for many years.
If you are finding practical tasks difficult at work, an occupational therapist can suggest reasonable adjustments to help you carry on working. They can talk to your employer about their responsibilities, and put you and your employer in touch with other services which may be able to help.
Your employer might provide their own occupational therapy service you can use.
Choosing equipment
An occupational therapist may be able to lend you items that could benefit you, free of charge. Examples include shower chairs, toilet frames or bed aids.
You might be able to get a wheelchair from the NHS or health and social care service. An occupational therapist can refer you to the relevant service for an assessment.
There are many everyday items that can make daily tasks easier, such as an air fryer, shopping trolley or gardening stool. Although an occupational therapist may suggest these, you will probably have to buy them yourself.
Speak to your occupational therapist before buying any equipment, such as reclining chairs or mobility scooters. This is important even if the person or company selling the equipment claims to understand the needs of people with Parkinson’s.
Get independent information and advice on choosing equipment from Living Made Easy.
Read more about daily living equipment for people with Parkinson’s.
Changes to your home
Occupational therapists can suggest changes to your home which might help you. These could be small, like a grab rail to help you stand up from your chair. Or changes could be more major, like a level access shower, stairlift or ramps.
If you need advice about more expensive home adaptations, such as stairlifts or accessible bathrooms, you should speak to an occupational therapist based in a social services department, or the health and social care services of your local authority.
They can tell you about any funding available. However, funding for major home adaptations can depend on your income.
Read more about possible funding for major adaptations on the UK Government website.
Parkinson’s UK Tech Guide
There are a lot of products that claim to be useful for people with Parkinson’s. Some are prescribed free on the NHS, and some you have to buy. Deciding if a product is right for you isn’t always easy.
Our Tech Guide provides reliable information about products for people with Parkinson’s, tested by people with Parkinson’s.
You can discuss any products you see in the guide with your occupational therapist. They can give their opinion about whether a product would work for you.
Our helpline and other useful contacts
Our helpline
Call our helpline free on 0808 800 0303 for advice on occupational therapy or any aspect of living with Parkinson's.
Other useful contacts
Ability.Net offers resources and training to help people with disabilities use digital technology. Visit the Ability.Net website.
Living Made Easy provides information and advice on aids and equipment. Visit the Living Made Easy website.
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists has details of qualified occupational therapists in your area. Visit the Royal College of Occupational Therapists website.
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Next update due 2028.
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"I love how a simple piece of advice or introducing a small change in how a person does something can have such a significant and positive impact on that person."
Meet Independent Occupational Therapist Emma Bracher and learn more about her work with people with Parkinson's.
Emma Bracher is an independent occupational therapist. She explains how occupational therapy can benefit people with Parkinson’s who are having problems with thinking, memory or confusion.
Occupational therapy can help people with Parkinson’s continue to carry out everyday activities when they become difficult. It can benefit people at all stages of the condition.
Emma Bracher, an independent occupational therapist, tells us about how she works with people with Parkinson’s.