Hand Tremors... Could It Be Me Too?

Nowon-gu Expands Integrated Rehabilitation Program 'Brain Creation' for Parkinson's Disease Patients
Starting 11th, Held Every Monday and Wednesday at Madeul Health Center, Thursday at Sanggye Health Center
For Residents with Parkinson's Disease or Regular Tremor Symptoms
Comprehensive Rehabilitation Including Specialized Intensive Exercise, Respiratory Rehabilitation, Facial Muscle Programs, and Psychological Support

Nowon-gu, Seoul (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will expand the operation of the customized integrated rehabilitation program for Parkinson's disease patients, 'Brain Creation.'

'Brain Creation' is a project initiated for the first time among local governments nationwide to systematically manage Parkinson's disease, slow its progression, and improve patients' quality of life through early detection.

From September to December last year, the Madle Health Center's Brain Creation program was held a total of 126 times, with an average attendance rate of 90%, showing high participant responsiveness compared to other programs. Additionally, due to continuous inquiries from residents of Gongneung and Wolgye, the district decided to expand the program using the Sanggye Health Center.

Furthermore, the district plans to expand participation to include residents who experience regular tremor symptoms in their bodies, including those with Parkinson's disease. This consideration reflects the difficulty of diagnosing Parkinson's disease based on early symptoms alone and aims to prevent patients and families from suffering due to missed treatment opportunities.

The rehabilitation program 'Brain Creation' prepared by the district uses small tools with vibration, such as Smoby and balance cushions, to help improve muscle strength, balance ability, and brain activation. It also reduces tremors by stimulating neuromuscular function through repetitive swinging motions using the Mimongi racket.

Brain Creation includes not only differentiated focused exercises but also rehabilitation for speech and swallowing disorders, correction of improper daily habits, and psychological support. This is because Parkinson's disease involves not only motor disorders such as tremors and rigidity but also nocturia, memory decline, depression, insomnia, and communication difficulties, all of which reduce the overall quality of life for patients.

In addition, the district conducts comparative evaluations of participants' physical functions and psychological states, such as grip strength and body angle measurements, every six months and provides long-term management for over a year. Based on the evaluation results, personalized exercise therapy is added for some participants.

A district official said, "The Brain Creation program is highly complete, organized based on the achievements and know-how gained from a previous home-visit rehabilitation program for disabled residents who were unable to perform daily activities due to long-term Parkinson's disease," adding, "We expect that participating in the program with peers experiencing similar symptoms will help alleviate anxiety and stimulate motivation for rehabilitation."

Meanwhile, since April, the district has been operating a customized rehabilitation program called 'Healing One Day' for the rapid recovery of home-based cancer patients in the area. The program targets residents who are undergoing chemotherapy or follow-up observation within five years after cancer surgery. It consists of various activities such as group exercise, one-on-one exercise counseling, psychological counseling and emotional support for self-esteem and social relationship recovery, as well as leisure and experiential activities, resulting in high participant satisfaction.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, "Although the number of Parkinson's disease patients is rapidly increasing due to the rapid aging of the population, social awareness remains low," and added, "Since early detection and management are crucial, we will actively support the daily lives of patients and their families by raising awareness of the disease and providing rehabilitation programs."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.