Technology-aided leisure and communication: Opportunities for persons with advanced Parkinson's disease

This study investigated whether simple technology-aided programs could be used to promote leisure and communication engagement in three persons with advanced Parkinson's disease.

The programs included music and video options, which were combined with (a) text messaging and telephone calls for the first participant, (b) verbal statements/requests, text messaging, and reading for the second participant, and (c) verbal statements/requests and prayers for the third participant. The participants could activate those options via hand movement or vocal emission and specific microswitches.

All three participants were successful in activating the options available. The mean cumulative frequencies of option activations were about five per 15-min session for the first two participants and about four per 10-min session for the third participant.

The results were considered encouraging and relevant given the limited amount of evidence available on helping persons with advanced Parkinson's disease with leisure and communication.