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> From: Bethany L. Johnson > My mother seems to have the same problem that you do. She can't seem to > get her feet going, but I've found that if we verbally prompt her as to > what to do (eg. say "left foot") then it helps to get her feet moving. It is amazing the things people do to aid this immobility. I have seen people use the lines in a pavement as visual prompts - one male carer held a hair broom in front of his wife's feet, for her to step over - a male PD had a gadget fitted at right angles to his walking stick to act as an obstacle to be overcome. PD's are often able to negotiate stairs, but have great difficulty on the flat. I can only feel that this is some sort of biofeedback, or conditioned -v- learnt behaviour. Perhaps it has something to do with the conscious -v- subconscious mind. But what the heck! Whatever works, do it, I say, and let the boffins figure it out later. Though I can't help feeling that a little research into the phenomenon might help a whole lot of people, such as accident victims, multiple sclerosis sufferers, etc. Probably no money and little glory in it. Jim