Music & Dance Therapy for Parkinson's

Let's call this blog a salute to creativity in the treatment of a debilitating disease that I've been acutely aware of for more than 50 years. My husband's father suffered from Parkinson's for several years until, at the age of 70, he underwent a radical experimental surgery in 1957 that relieved his palsy but didn't help with other symptoms, such as shuffling gait. He didn't die of Parkinson's, but had a heart attack at 81. I've known several people through the years who have endured the agony of this disease.

Now I have two family members who are suffering from Parkinson's. Out of curiosity, I began to search the Web to see what new treatments might be available. Of course, there are many drug therapies, but what captured my attention were several articles on music and dance therapy for people with Parkinson's symptoms. I'm excited about the possibilities of these therapies. Here's a list of links to videos and Web sites that relate to this subject:

• Oliver Sacks YouTube video


• abcNews video Parkinson's Patients Benefit From Dancing


• AOL News Dance Therapy for Parkinson's Disease Patients


• Institute for Music and Neurologic Function article Music Therapy to Benefit Individuals With Parkinson's Disease


• Parkinson's Disease Foundation Motivating Moves for People With Parkinson's


• Parkinson's Action Network APTA Urges Congress to Extend Medicare Therapy Cap Extension


• New York Times Getting Their Groove Back With Help From the Magic of Dance, the story of an outreach program of the Mark Morris Dance Group