Sudha Meiyappan is offering people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) a new route to managing the disorder. Through her community support group called Parivarthan for Parkinson's, she has been providing its members with customised yoga therapy as well as a forum to express themselves.
This support group had a humble beginning in 2014, with just six members on board. As the word spread, more people with PD started attending the meetings, with or without their caregivers. From the do’s and dont’s of personal care to the pros and cons of surgery, a wide range of topics pertaining to Parkinson’s Disease is discussed at these meetings.
Besides the free monthly meetings, Sudha introduced yoga therapy to help those with PD deal with the condition. Each member gets a separate therapist.
“A patient might suffer from diabetes, hypertension or might have undergone hip surgery along with Parkinson’s. The therapist understands these pre-existing conditions and customises the therapy,” explains Sudha, who first ran a programme for 12 members as a pilot project, and later replicated it.
Other programmes
Parivarthan also periodically conducts occupational therapy at Anna Nagar Tower Park every Sunday afternoon, when members and their families play games together.
“To an outsider, it looks like people throwing a ball, running and catching it. This, in fact, is aimed at helping patients develop better hand-eye coordination, build strength and maintain balance,” says Sudha, who started working at an NGO in 2016.
Those unable to attend the meetings, Parivarthan provides home visits. “Any patient who requires counselling, information on the right place for treatment, a reference or somebody to just talk to, we are just a phone call away,” she says.
Future plans
As part of her future plans for Parivarthan, Sudha hopes to publish a paper on how yoga helps cope with Parkinson’s Disease, and eventually standardise yoga therapy for PD.
Additionally, a session for caregivers and meetings in other parts of the city are among Parivarthan's plans for the future.
“Coincidentally, it is 200 years since Parkinson’s Disease was first identified by James Parkinson in 1817,” points out Sudha, adding, “So, as part of this, Parivarthan is planning to expand to other parts of Chennai and organise more such awareness programmes.”
For more details, contact Sudha Meiyappan at 93810 35979 or write to sudha.meiyappan@ gmail.com.
