Walking Cane Support to 100 Parkinson Patients

1. Project Summary

During this reporting period, Parkinson patients support organization Ethiopia has been conducting various care and support activities. And for about 30 PD patients were directly benefited as per this specific project activity and experienced more PD friendly support. Especially, as the disease progress, disability increases, and quality of life deteriorates. So that, when it reaches an advanced stage, they can’t able to move from place to place; even they demand someone to be there to eat, to go to the toilet and bathroom, to get access to treatment care and support services provided by PPSO-E as it is still the only organization working as a center of excellence in Addis Ababa and the country Ethiopia as a whole. Otherwise, if they don’t get access to have human support, various assistive materials like a walking cane become essential. Similarly, as they are almost new for the PD management skill, like enable to walk and how to use the canes they get a short orientation and exercises by professional physiotherapists and instructors who are assigned to take care of handling their body and using the tools just to prevent patients from fall.

2. Who is benefiting?

Those PD patients whose stage of the disease is being advanced and needs clock assistance and support from either human caregivers or demand to have supportive kits/ tools like assistive supplies like walking canes are the direct beneficiaries during this reporting period.

3. Achievement overview;

• 15 Walking cane necessary was bought and distributed as per the patient need assessment made all the time by the organization, just to update their preference from time to time.

• 15 PD patients acquired the necessary skill and knowledge about how to use the canes and maintain their body balance together with physiotherapy treatment as a comprehensive package.

• Transportation cost facilitation was provided for 15 PD patients who have come over to the PPSO-E center for physiotherapy and training.

4. Challenges

• The demand for PD patients is somehow increasing as its progressive nature requires additional demands and the newly registered onset and PD cases are increasing.

• Physiotherapy and speech therapy are requested highly and the number of PD patients' medical support coverage is still needed due to attention.

• Besides walking cane and stick demand, a significant number of PD patients are already laid on the bed/ becoming bedridden that means, provision of wheelchair becoming critical for at least 10 patients will the coming reporting period as per the resource allowed

1. Project Summary

During this reporting period, Parkinson patients support organization Ethiopia have been conducting various care and support intervention with its existing programs and by integrating activities undertaking using GlobalGiving. As the ultimate objective of this project is to address 50 Parkinson’s patients to have access to a walking cane and enable them to move from place to place without assistance.so, that they can’t do what they need like attending their social life interaction, participating in PD patient's support group meetings, brings their medication, going to toilets, and so on.

2. Who is benefited?

It is clear that PD patients are the direct beneficiaries of the support and have an access to move from place to place without the support of others. However, their caregivers or families are also helped since the burden of the disease needs their active level of attention.

3. Achievement overview During this reporting period, with the fund amount obtained from good-hearted individuals and supporters, the following activities were achieved - 50 PD patients whose stages are high demands the support of walking stick were getting support and received their stick - With inviting gusts of expertise like inspirational speakers and Medical doctors, the half-day motivational, inspirational, and PD patients empowerment training were given for 50 PD patients

4. Challenges

- The demand for PD patients is somehow increasing as its progressive nature requires additional demands and the newly registered onset and PD cases are increasing.

- Physiotherapy and speech therapy are requested highly and the number of PD patient's medical support coverage is still needed due to attention.

5. Living Story

Most of the selected PD patients for the support of walking stick are above 60 years of age. That means they are mostly living with other health complications and in one or another way they are characterized as low-income living standards. Among the PD patients receiving the support, these two old age fathers were said that; first when they are gathering together and share their experience with someone like themselves, by itself is an advantage to see and take a lesson from others and the other said that I am not able to move without the support of assistive materials like a walking stick or human assistance, but whoever they are your wife or children or caregivers, you may not access all your ways. Therefore, here I am today coming with the support of my child but the burden will not be the same while I return home today. They do thank the only PD organization PPSO-E and the donors. 

Links:

• organizational official website and updates
• organizational official Facebook account