Effects of water-based exercise on activities of daily living in Parkinson's disease patients

Physical exercise plays an important role in reducing the physical and psychological symptoms of those who suffer from Parkinson’s Disease (PD). One form of exercise, water exercise, is a relatively untested means in the treatment of patients suffering from PD. Very few studies have tested the effects of such a program for PD patients. In this pilot study, four patients with PD aged 71-89 years of age followed a six week exercise program in water, three days weekly for a duration from 20 minutes up to one hour in an attempt to improve physical and psychological functions. Testing was done prior to and after the program. The study showed that patients improved on their physical strength, endurance and balance, however tests of perceived self confidence showed no difference between the beginning and end of the study. The results suggest that water exercise is a beneficial medium for PD patients to exercise in and is useful in maintaining and/or improving on strength, endurance and balance. Further research with a randomized controlled trial and a larger sample size is needed to verify the beneficial effects of water exercises for sufferers of PD

The Effect of High and Low Antiepileptic Drug Dosage on Simulated Driving Performance in Person’s with Seizures: A Pilot Study

Background: Prior studies examining driving performance have not examined the effects of antiepileptic drugs (AED’s) or their dosages in persons with epilepsy. AED’s are the primary form of treatment to control seizures, but they are shown to affect cognition, attention, and vision, all which may impair driving. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of high and low AED dosages on simulated driving performance in persons with seizures. Method: Patients (N = 11; mean age 42.1 ± 6.3; 55% female; 100% Caucasian) were recruited from the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit and had their driving assessed on a simulator. Results: No differences emerged in total or specific types of driving errors between high and low AED dosages. However, high AED drug dosage was significantly associated with errors of lane maintenance (r = .67, p \u3c .05) and gap acceptance (r = .66, p \u3c .05). The findings suggest that higher AED dosages may adversely affect driving performance, irrespective of having a diagnosis of epilepsy, conversion disorder, or other medical conditions. Conclusion: Future studies with larger samples are required to examine whether AED dosage or seizure focus alone can impair driving performance in persons with and without seizures

Impact of health and transportation on accessing healthcare in older adults living in rural regions

Introduction: Living in rural areas pose challenges to accessing healthcare, often requiring individuals to travel to major cities. This study examined the impact of health and transportation among older adults using no healthcare services, family doctor services, and medical specialist services, and compared to those living in rural and small population centers. Methods: Between 2020 and 2021, a survey was disseminated to 244 older adults (Mean age = 72.2 years ± 5.3 years, 50.2% male) living in rural (n = 139) and small communities (n = 105) of Saskatchewan, Canada. Results: In total, 135 participants did not use healthcare services (i.e., family doctor or medical specialist); 55 used family doctor services, and 54 used medical specialist services; 10.6% reported cancelling medical appointments due to the lack or cost of transportation. Living in a rural community was a significant predictor of using family doctors. Additionally, living in a rural environment, not perceiving health as excellent or good, receiving rides from others, and traveling to larger centers for medical care were significant predictors of using medical specialists. Living in a senior’s complex and having diabetes were significantly associated with poorer health. Receiving rides from friends, family, or volunteer driving programs was the most available transportation option in rural vs small population centers. Conclusions: Accessing healthcare is influenced by both health and transportation for older adults living in rural versus small communities. The lack of available and affordable transportation, coupled with the distance and occurrence of medical appointments, impacts healthcare access or cancelling medical appointments