Job Accomodations for PWP

[Linda J Herman <ljherman1@xxxxxxxx>]

This is a great website for information on job accommodations and they
have a section specificallly on Parkinson's . FROM the
Job Accommodation Network,
U.S. DOL Office of Disability Employment Policy
Headquartered at: West Virginia University ,PO Box 6080,
    Morgantown, WV 26506-6080
800-526-7234 in the US (Voice or TTY)
Internet: 

SEE:

Accommodating People With Parkinson's Disease

This site presents possible job accommodations for PWP, not actual cases.
 It is written from the perspective of the employer. What do you all
think about it?
Has anyone actually been allowed such accommodations at their job?

                                PREFACE

      ACCOMMODATING PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE

     According to the National Parkinson's Foundation it is estimated
that there
     are up to 1.5 million Americans affected by Parkinson's Disease
(PD),
     more persons than those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and
Muscular
     Dystrophy combined. Although 15% of PD patients are diagnosed before
     age 50, PD is generally considered a disease that targets older
adults.
     Parkinson's disease affects one of every 100 persons over the age of
60.

     Today, many people with PD are living and working with PD. As a
result,
     employers are seeing an increase in individuals with PD among their
     employees. This, coupled with the requirements of the Americans with
     Disabilities Act (ADA), shows why knowing about workplace
     accommodations for people with PD is important.

     When considering accommodations for people with PD, the
     accommodation process must be conducted on a case-by-case basis.
     Symptoms caused by PD vary so when determining effective
     accommodations the person?s individual abilities and limitations
should be
     considered and problematic job tasks must be identified. Therefore,
the
     person with PD should be involved in the accommodation process.

     Not all people with PD will need accommodations to perform their
jobs
     and many others may need only a few accommodations. For those who
     need accommodation, the following pages provide basic information
     about common limitations, symptoms, useful questions to consider,
and
     accommodation possibilities. The following is only a sample of
     possibilities to consider; numerous other solutions and
considerations
     may exist.

     Also included in this publication is a list of resources for
additional
     information.

     This publication was written by Linda C. Batiste, MS, and Beth A.
Loy, MS,
     Human Factors Consultants with the Job Accommodation Network. If
     further information is needed, please call JAN at 1-800-526-7234.

     1/01

           QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN DETERMINING
                          ACCOMMODATIONS

     What symptoms or limitations is the individual with PD experiencing?


         How do these symptoms or limitations affect the person and the
person?s
     job performance?

     What specific job tasks are problematic as a result of these
symptoms
     and limitations?

     What accommodations are available to reduce or eliminate these
     problems? Are all possible resources being used to determine
possible
     accommodations?

     Has the employee with PD been consulted regarding possible
     accommodations?

     Once accommodations are in place, would it be useful to meet with
the
     person with PD to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodations
and
     to determine whether additional accommodations are needed?

        Do supervisory personnel and employees need training regarding
PD,
     other disability areas, or the Americans with Disabilities Act?

         ACCOMMODATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH
                          PARKINSON'S DISEASE

     (Note: People with PD will develop some of these
limitations/symptoms,
     but seldom develop all of them. Limitations will vary among
individuals.
     Also note that not all people who have PD will need accommodations
to
     perform their jobs and many others may need only a few
accommodations.
     The following is only a sample of the possibilities available.
Numerous
     other accommodation solutions exist as well.)

     Fine Motor:

          Implement ergonomic workstation design
          Provide arm supports
          Provide alternative computer access and keyguard
          Provide alternative telephone access
          Provide writing and grip aids
          Provide a page turner and a book holder
          Provide a note taker

     Gross Motor:

          Reduce walking or provide a scooter or other mobility aid
          Provide parking close to the work-site
          Provide an accessible entrance
          Install automatic door openers
          Provide an accessible route of travel to other work areas used
by the
          employee
          Move workstation close to other work areas, office equipment,
and break
          rooms

     Fatigue/Weakness:

          Reduce or eliminate physical exertion and workplace stress
          Schedule periodic rest breaks away from the workstation
          Allow a flexible work schedule and flexible use of leave time
          Allow work from home
          Make sure materials and equipment are within reach range

     Speech:

          Provide speech amplification, speech enhancement, or other
          communication device
          Use written communication, such as email or fax
          Transfer to a position that does not require a lot of
communication
          Allow periodic rest breaks

     Medical Treatment Allowances:

          Provide flexible schedules
          Provide flexible leave
          Allow a self-paced workload with flexible hours
          Allow employee to work from home
          Provide part-time work schedules

     Depression and Anxiety:

          Reduce distractions in work environment
          Provide to-do lists and written instructions
          Remind employee of important deadlines and meetings
          Allow time off for counseling
          Provide clear expectations of responsibilities and consequences

          Provide sensitivity training to co-workers
          Allow breaks to use stress management techniques
          Develop strategies to deal with work problems before they arise

          Allow telephone calls during work hours to doctors and others
for support
          Provide information on counseling and employee assistance
programs

     Cognitive Impairment:

          Provide written job instructions when possible
          Prioritize job assignments
          Allow flexible work hours
          Allow periodic rest breaks to reorient
          Provide memory aids, such as schedulers or organizers
          Minimize distractions
          Allow a self-paced workload
          Reduce job stress
          Provide more structure

     Activities of Daily Living:

          Allow use of a personal attendant at work
          Allow use of a service animal at work
          Make sure the facility is accessible
          Move workstation closer to the restroom
          Allow longer breaks
          Refer to appropriate community services


                                  PRODUCTS

     There may be products available to accommodate an employee with PD.
For
     information on specific products and vendors contact JAN.

        EXAMPLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S
                                   DISEASE

     A secretary with PD and hand tremors was having difficulty using a
keyboard,
     writing, manipulating manuals, and filing. She was accommodated with
a
     keyguard, typing aid, page turner, and open files.

     A supervisor with PD was having difficulty managing fatigue. The
employer
     provided a private rest area with a cot so the individual could take
breaks
     throughout the day.

     A file clerk was having difficulty meeting the physical demands of
the job,
     including walking between work areas, standing at filing cabinets,
and carrying
     files. The individual was accommodated with a power scooter with a
basket and
     a stand/lean stool.

     A technician with PD was having difficulty concentrating. The
employee's
     supervisor provided written job instructions when possible and
allowed the
     individual to have periodic rest breaks. In addition, she was moved
to a corner
     cubical where distractions were minimized with strategically placed
baffles.

     A customer service representative with PD was having difficulty
manipulating his mouse, writing, standing to greet people, and
communicating effectively. He was  accommodated with a trackball, writing
aid, stool with lift cushion, and speech  amplification.

     A technical consultant was having difficulty using the computer in
the afternoons  due to fatigue. He was accommodated with speech
recognition and an
     ergonomic workstation.

     An office assistant with tremors and fatigue was having difficulty
typing the
     number of words per minute required by her employer. The individual
     rearranged her workstation to reduce distractions and her employer
offered
     flexible scheduling. Her word processing software was programmed
with
     macros to reduce keystrokes and she was given speech recognition
software.

     A consultant with PD was having difficulty getting to work on time.
He was
     accommodated with flexible scheduling so he could use public
transportation.

     A teacher with PD was having difficulty standing in front of the
classroom to write on the board. The individual was accommodated with a
scooter and a laptop
     and PC projector. She was then able to remain seated while using the
computer and projector to display information to the class.

     An engineer was having difficulty concentrating and communicating.
The
     individual was accommodated with a quiet office free from
distractions. In
     addition, her supervisor implemented a policy of scheduled
interruptions with
     written reminders and assignments. The individual was also provided
with a
     communication device.

                                 RESOURCES
                            (This is a non-inclusive list)

     Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
     A Service of the U.S. DOL Office of Disability Employment Policy
     West Virginia University
     P.O. Box 6080
     Morgantown, WV 26506-6080
     800-526-7234 (Voice & TTY)
     800-ADA-WORK (Voice & TTY)
     

     Office of Disability Employment Policy
     1331 F Street, NW
     Washington DC 20004-1107
     202-376-6200/202-376-6205 (TTY)
     

     American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc.
     1250 Hylan Boulevard, Suite 4B
     Staten Island, NY 10305
     800-223-2732/718-981-8001
     

     The American Parkinson Disease Association provides information on
local
     resources, publications, videos, and referrals.

     Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
     1600 Clifton Rd.
     Atlanta, GA 3033
     404-639-3534
     

     The CDC promotes health and quality of life by preventing and
controlling
     disease, injury, and disability.

     Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
     PO Box 2010
     Grand Rapids, MN 55745-2010
     800-850-4726/212-604-9182
     

     The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research was born out
of
     Michael's determination to raise the significant new monies required
to fund the
     Parkinson's cure and the Parkinson's Action Network's (PAN) track
record of
     accomplishment in raising national awareness of Parkinson's disease.


     National Parkinson's Foundation (NPF)
     Bob Hope Parkinson Research Center
     1501 N.W. 9th Avenue Bob Hope Road
     Miami, Florida 33136-1494
     800-327-4545/305-547-6666
     

     The mission of NPF is to: find the cause and cure for Parkinson's
Disease and
     related neurodegenerative disorders through research; educate
general medical
     practitioners to detect the early warning signs of Parkinson's
disease; educate
     patients, their caregivers, and the general public; provide
diagnostic and
     therapeutic services; and improve the quality of life for both
patients and their
     caregivers.

     Parkinson's Disease Foundation, Inc. (PDF)
     710 West 168th Street
     New York, NY 10032-9982
     800-457-6676/212-923-4700
     

     The Parkinson's Disease Foundation, Inc. is a national, non-profit
organization,
     chartered in the state of New York with offices in New York City and
Chicago.
     The PDF is dedicated to supporting and promoting the highest-quality
research
     worldwide into the cause(s) and cure of Parkinson's disease, and for
better
     symptomatic treatments.

     Parkinson's Foundation of Canada
     4211 Yonge Street, Suite 316
     Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2P 2A9
     800-565-3000/416-227-9700
     

     The Parkinson Foundation of Canada is a not for profit, national
charitable
     organization. The Foundation raises money through endowment funds,
     corporate sponsorships, and public donations. Finding the cause and
cure for
     Parkinson's disease remains its chief mission.

     The Parkinson's Institute
     1170 Morse Avenue
     Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1605
     800-786-2958/408-734-2800
     

     The Institute is an independent, not-for-profit organization
conducting patient
     care and research activities in the neurological specialty area of
movement
     disorders. The mission is to find the cause and cure for these
disorders, to
     provide the best available medical care to patients with movement
disorders, to
     investigate better treatment and diagnostic tools, and to develop
prevention
     strategies.

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