Parkinson’s disease is an incurable neurological disorder that affects more than one million Americans.  Common symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease include tremor, rigidity of the muscles, impaired balance and coordination, and freezing in place.  Now, for the first time in the 70 year history of training dogs to assist disabled people, man’s best friend has been taught to assist patients with Parkinson’s Disease. .This pilot program is a joint effort with Independence Dogs, the University of Pennsylvania’s Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, and SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals.
    Lou Paulmier loses his balance and tumbles to the ground about 20 times a day as a result of Parkinson's disease.
    Marge Paulmier is Lou's wife. "I think many people thought he was drunk or demented or both," she says.
    Matthew Stern, M.D., is a neurologist at the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. "We actually do not know what causes this phenomenon of freezing, this sudden loss of balance, the sudden loss of the ability to walk, but we do know that a number of cues can overcome the freezing spell," he says.
    Medication doesn't keep Lou from falling down, but this big dog named Melek does. She becomes his legs... when his own give way. When Melek sees Lou shuffle his feet and "freeze up," she goes into action.
    Melek stays by Lou's side wherever he goes. When he stumbles, she's his crutch. If she can't keep him from falling, she helps him up.
    Jean King is the founder and president of Independence Dogs, Inc., in Chadds Ford, Penn., "We try to match the personality of the person with the dog's personality. We try to match the activity level of the person with the dog's activity level," she says. Patients only pay $200 to help buy their dog's custom harness. Donations take care of the $12-thousand it costs to train each dog. After just a few weeks together, Melek and Lou are confident and independent.
    To be considered for a Parkinson's dog, patients must have an imbalance problem and must be able to care for the dog. The pilot program is a joint effort between Independence Dogs, Pennsylvania Hospital and Smithkline Beecham.