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Early Cognitive Intervention with Parkinson's Disease

Erin Foster, OTD, MSCI, OTR/L

July 3, 2012

Question

How does early cognitive intervention help with Parkinson's Disease?

Answer

I would approach early cognitive intervention, with clients with PD, from a compensatory perspective.  The client needs to know about any subtle cognitive changes that they may have and that these issues are going to continue and quite possibly worsen over time.  It is important to teach them compensatory or adaptive strategies early on in the disease process while they are still capable of learning and practicing them.  Your goal is to have these strategies become habitual for them so that they can use them as the disease progresses.  Compensation and adaptation are the key components of intervention as remediation has not been found to be effective in Parkinson's Disease.


erin foster

Erin Foster, OTD, MSCI, OTR/L

Dr. Foster is an Assistant Professor in Occupational Therapy, Neurology and Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM).  She received her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy and completed postdoctoral training in clinical neuroscience and cognitive neuropsychology at WUSM. During her postdoctoral fellowship, she was selected for a multi-disciplinary clinical investigation training program and received her Master’s of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI) in May 2009. She is a current recipient of an NIH-K23 Career Development Award and several other research grants related to cognitive rehabilitation for individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). Dr. Foster’s primary research focus is on understanding everyday cognitive functioning in PD and its relevance to occupational performance, participation and quality of life. She studies how cognitive dysfunction in PD impacts everyday life and how occupational therapy can best address it. Clinically, Dr. Foster is involved with the Program in Occupational Therapy’s Community and In-Home Services as a consultant for therapists treating clients with PD or related movement disorders.


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