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Work Adjustments that Can Help You Cope with PD

A diagnosis of Parkinson's disease can be quite overwhelming, especially when you really stop to consider all the changes in your life you will have to make to accommodate your illness and its progression. Perhaps one of the most difficult transitions will be at work. If you are a long standing employee and well regarded, most employers will make certain accommodations so that you can work as long as possible. However, there are some jobs where the bottom line is not employee satisfaction but rather production and profit. If you belong to the latter, it might be wise to start looking at alternative work options to see you through your disease.

Quite a few Parkinson's patients lead full lives with jobs they love and hobbies they pursue. Early detection of the disease is quite beneficial in this case as medication, therapy and dietary changes can prolong those good days and put off the necessary changes in work routines. However, it is time to be realistic when you can no longer perform your job as efficiently as you once have. Evaluate your work station, duties and atmosphere to see where you might be able to make some changes to help you do your job more efficiently while still dealing with the disease. Here are some questions you might ask yourself:

1. Evaluate your job - can you continue what you are doing as the disease progresses?

2. Are there aspects of your job that will become more difficult as time goes on?

3. Are there some adjustments that could be made to your job duties or how you perform them that could prolong your time on the job?

4. Is your job risky? If so, can you be transferred to a different job within the same company?

5. At what point should you consider disability?

Only by thoroughly examining every aspect of your job duties, work environment and standards of work performance can you adequately evaluate how your livelihood will be impacted. Many Parkinson's patients relay that they get tired more easily during a work day. If this happens to you, talk with your doctor as the medications you are taking could be the culprit. If not, consider changing break times or eating lunch at your desk so you can spend your actual allotted lunch hour taking a brief nap.

If you often have to call meetings or have tasks that require good concentration, schedule them for a time of day when you are at your best. Utilize technology as much as possible such as dictating notes or using a computer instead of writing them. There is software where you can dictate your notes and the program types them out for you so all you would need is minor tweaking to formatting and context.

Finding yourself lagging part way through the day signals you might need to cut back your work hours to part time. Speak with your company about this. If part time is not available, perhaps a job sharing plan is more your speed. There is always an option if your company is willing to work with you on them. When you do encounter some issues that you feel could easily be solved with a little cooperation but your company is not meeting you halfway, look to the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and your rights on the job. Reasonable accommodations in the workplace must be met and can include adjustments in assignments and scheduling as well as technological devices that may make your life easier.

Always remember that you have options when it comes to holding onto your job for as long as you can possibly manage to do so. Of course, you too must be realistic and know when it is time to say goodbye to your job and greet disability with good grace.