Telemedicine Program in Parkinson's Disease (TELEPARK)

Aim of the study: 1. Demonstrate the feasibility of at home telesurveillance and rehabilitation program 2. Demonstrate the effectiveness of the program in improving quality of life and functional aspects in patients affected by Parkinson's disease 30 patients affected by Parkinson's disease (PD), will be consecutively screened. The method of sequence generation relied on a computerized random number generator. The person who allocated patients to the two groups was not involved either in treatment or in evaluation of the patients. The study was submitted for approval of the Central Ethics Review Board. Participants will be randomly assigned to two different groups of training using a random number table to receive either telemedicine care (PTE) or their usual care (PUC). All the patients will receive in our Institute a comprehensive baseline evaluation conducted by both the neurologist and the physical therapist specialized in the treatment of PD. During the baseline evaluation (T0), both PTE and PUC will perform two supervised familiarization sessions using the same training protocol to be used once at home. Caregivers are an essential part in the PD patients' home management and rehabilitation and they therefore will be involved in all educational stages. Each patient of both groups will receive two types of physical intervention: 1. A traditional custom-tailored rehabilitative exercise program; he will be trained by the therapist on how to perform the exercises. These exercises will include functional strengthening, stretching, postural changes and balance activities 2. An aerobic training All patients will be asked to perform these exercises for 60 minutes 3 days/week for three months. The training phase will last 20 minutes during the first month and 30 minutes over the second and third month; Training intensity could be progressively increased over the three months of intervention, Aerobic training familiarization sessions will be performed on the same ergometer they will receive for home-based training.