Do you struggle to write? If so, are there any tools you use to help you?

[Mary Beth Skylis]

One of the first tips we got that suggested my dad had Parkinson’s was that his handwriting was changing. As he began developing tremors, it became more difficult to write. Today, he still manages the basics but he prefers not to write. Do you struggle to write? If so, are there any tools you use to help you?

[Krukar]

Hi Mary Beth,

I try and do hand exercises on a regular basis. I do struggle with my writing some. What I prefer to do is type on my I-pad with a stylus. Most importantly for me is that I continue to write on a couple of Parkinson’s websites for my brain. No matter how I do it the point is I exercise my mind and thought process. Thank you a lot Mary Beth for continuing to ask the questions. Blessings, Mike

[Katherine]

I can’t even read my own handwriting anymore. It has been incredibly difficult, as I wrote by hand at least 10 hours every day before I got PD. Typing is not easy — and it is absolutely NOT the same as writing by hand, which felt almost like an art for me.

[Mary Beth Skylis]

Katherine, I’m really sorry that you’re struggling to write. I know that my dad experiences some difficulties, too. Have you been able to find ways to adapt? Or do you use anything to help?

[George Sharp]

i must admit that my writing not working to good i can sign a document and that is about it, i find my writing gets smaller as i write on so in the end it is very hard to read thank god i have my lovely wife Susan who keeps a eye on me, she fills out the forms and such makes it easy on me .
i find that if i make sure i have my glasses on and all the details i will need i can struggle by just .i can remember my dad who had a beautiful long flowing hand a when he reached 80 his eyesight went he never had Parkinson’s but in the end he couldn’t write so it will effect us all in time. no i never tried any tools my dad had a device he used to put on the place where you signed your name and it kept his signature straight but that is all i have ever seen used, George

[Joseph]

My handwriting has worsened to the point that I no longer try. Thankfully with today’s technology I can usually find alternatives. Some examples: cheque writing replaced by electronic funds transfers; Handwritten forms replaced by digital fillable forms; Paper legal documents replaced by digital format and digital signatures; Handwritten hotel check-in forms replaced by checking in using a digital format in advance;
There are also many options for using voice dictation , As I am currently doing to fill in this form. And, as an added bonus,   dictation allows me to see how well I may be speaking on that particular day And give me time to practice greater clarity

Of course, when all else fails, I’m very lucky that my partner has a steady hand

[Mary Beth Skylis]

That’s a really interesting thought, Joseph. I hadn’t thought about using voice tools as a measurement of your voice. How long have you been using those types of tools?

[Marla Klein]

My husband found weighted pens have helped in the beginning. Now he prefers dictation although he struggles with his speech and is in big speech therapy. At times voice activation can’t pick up his voice and he becomes frustrated as his typing is hard to do at times too. So on good days voice activation on his  iPad and he does most of his stuff in the morning as that seems to be his best time. On bad day he just passes

[Alan M]

Hey Marla & Mary Beth:

I’m still a practicing therapist which requires I keep a plethora of notes for every session.  Because we follow a strictly confidential code of practice, no one but me can record these scribbles.  Nor can anyone transcribe them for me.  So Like Marla’s partner, I’ve taken to using MS Word 365 “voice to text” and try to recall all the important themes of each session.  I speak these  out in the privacy of my office after each session.  Has worked so far.  My handwriting is so pathetic I stopped trying 6 – 8 mos. ago.  It was no doubt handier jotting notes during the session when I could still write.  But that’s a thing of the past.  Oh well.  Thanks to technology I can still work.

[Mary Beth Skylis]

Maria,

They’ve far from perfected voice controlled apps. But I’m grateful that there’s at least an option available.

Alan,

In some ways, I find voice to text programs to be more effective than typing or writing would be. They seem faster. Have you found that they’re relatively accurate, too?

[Susan Swint]

http://www.vLetterinc.com A superior answer for me. This company offers dozens of “handwritten” computer fonts and will even make a custom font based on samples you provide. I use it often to print quick notes to friends where typing would seem too formal. I strongly suggest checking vLetter’s offerings and filling out your own sample to save in case your writing becomes illegible and you would still like the writing to be your own. My other action was to learn to print and ultimately write in cursive with my non-dominant hand–it took about 3 months of trying to write a phrase each day (usually of something I hoped to memorize). I cannot write quickly, but it does not shake and is legible–a good exercise for creating a new mind-body pathway.

[Mary Beth Skylis]

Susan, what a cool program! Do you find that your font looks similar to your actual handwriting?

[STEVEN OPPEN]

For the last 3-4 months, my handwriting has become illegible. When I take notes, I find that,somewhere along the way. my mind loses focus and “wanders” both physically (my eyes literslly begin to wander!) and mentally. It has become a serious problem that I need to fix. Could I ask all of you to send me the names of programs that I could consider? I think that the speech-to-text options would best fit my needs. Thank you in advance for your assistance. If I can do anything to help you, please let me know. PD has been my “friend” for 13 years, and my answers to your queries are bound to contain my personal biases.

Cheers,
Steve

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