The single most important thing for a Parkinson’s patient can do to improve their mood, movement, emotions, strength and well being is exercise. For a normal person this is a merely a scheduling activity. For a Parkinson’s patient it is difficult.

Complicated for someone who never did sports at all. A former sports person would be resolute in their efforts. They would have had that former experience in their life of exercise and training that keeps telling them that it will be useful. Perhaps they had to train to recover from an injury. Perhaps they wanted to hit more three-point shots in basketball. Perhaps they wanted to hit the ball a little straighter in golf. Perhaps they wanted to strike out that guy who hit it over the center field fence the last time they pitched to him.

For a parkie it is a matter of walking to the sink to get a glass of water.

LSVT Big is a therapy for getting Parkinson’s patients moving again and keeps them moving. The exercises seem simple to a person who has no difficulty with movement. After twelve or fifteen years of effort she is more resolute than ever to keep exercising.

But it requires organization and her mind refuses to cooperate.