posted 5th June 2023
What is Parkinson's?
Parkinson's disease is a condition that affects the brain. It causes problems like shaking and stiffness that get worse overtime. The main symptoms of this disease are shaking, slow movements and stiffness. Parkinson's is causes by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain. It is not clear exactly why this happens.
If you are like most people, you are probably on your smartphone for a good portion of the day! Why not put the time spent on your devices to good use and manage your symptoms of Parkinson's disease and help elevate your lifestyle!
There is a wealth of Phone/tablet apps that allow those who have Parkinson's disease to help relieve them of stress, to help with certain exercises, to help with voice control and much more. There are so many apps to choose from, but here we have our top 5 apps for those living with Parkinson's disease.
Volume
Those with Parkinson's disease can often speak quietly and find it difficult to communicate effectively as a result. Many will need intense voice therapy but apps that show visual representations of how loudly or softly they are speaking may benefit them and help them maintain their level of speaking or gain a louder voice.
Loud & Clear - Free
Loud and clear is an app that addresses any changes in a persons voice that can be caused. It helps the user warm up with small exercises to help them recalibrate their voice in the sessions.
The app does not intend to replace professional voice treatment from a Speech and Language Therapist, and it is best used as a companion to voice treatment and good for those who have already completed voice therapy.
Swallow management
Parkinson's can cause the muscles in the jaw to be less efficient which means that there is less control over swallowing and chewing. There are apps that remind those with Parkinson's to swallow and they have the potential to help retrain the automatic swallowing of saliva by vibrating or beeping at set timings.
Swallow Prompt - £0.99
Swallow prompt is an app that is very discrete and can be used with headphones to give a prompt to swallow. It can be set to vibrate or beep through a headset at set intervals. This is a great way to manage saliva and possibly improve the muscles.
Tracking
Tracking symptoms can be beneficial because it helps the user keep an eye on any patterns based on what affects you on certain days. Those who have chronic diseases find it easier to use apps to track medication, pain and much more, allowing them to feel control over their disease.
My Parkinson's Disease Manager - Free
My Parkinson's disease manager allows users to track progress and symptoms in a daily journal which overtime gets transformed into easy-to-read charts. Medication management is another great feature of this app which includes helpful easy reminders.
It is also very useful for users to share their symptoms with their care providers by connecting them. This allows care providers to monitor progress between visits and help understand how the disease affects them.
Exercise
It is important for everyone to have a daily exercise plan especially those with Parkinson's disease as this helps them maintain mobility, balance and the ability to perform daily routines. Parkinson's patients who exercise for at least 2.5 hours a week also experience a slower decline in quality of life.
PEAR Personal Fitness Coach - Free
This app is about hands free and eyes free audio coaching, allowing users to pick from a variety of different guided workouts that come in wealth of intensities, depending on your performance. The app is also compatible with watched and other fitness apps to track metrics.
Brain training
Parkinson's disease causes irregular electrical signals in the part of the brain that controls movement. Stimulation of the brain can help modulate the control centres, allowing improvement between the brain cells.
CogniFit - Free
This app allows users to improve and evaluate their cognitive functions through tests, puzzles, brain teasers and games. The app focuses on areas such as attention span, memory planning and coordination. The cognifit app also offers a specific programme for those with Parkinson's.