NPH: Optimize Your Quality of Life with Key Strategies

How to Improve Your Quality of Life with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)

The goal of any successful health intervention, such as surgical treatment, is that you are restored or that the progression of an illness is slowed. We know that sometimes it is not as effective as we hoped it would be. Not a lot of people have looked at the journey normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) patients take in their daily lives. It’s like a roller coaster, some days are good, and others are bad. What works one time may not work the next; it can be a very confusing journey.

Quality of life is so central because you are dealing with an unpredictable life. How to maintain quality of life becomes super important. Quality of life is not just about being able to walk up the stairs or being able to put on your pants. It is about doing those daily activities you love, with the people you love, in the environments in which you would normally do those activities.

Here are some strategies to help improve your quality of life while managing NPH:

1. Why Maintaining a Positive Outlook is Essential for NPH Management
   Maintaining a positive outlook is powerful.  Your outlook can go a long way. Try to focus on small victories—appreciating what feels good instead of dwelling on what doesn’t. Shifting your perspective can make a big difference in daily life, especially when living with a chronic condition.
2. Recognizing and Overcoming Denial in NPH Patients
   Denial is a common reaction but can set you back in your progress. Notice signs of denial, like ignoring symptoms or postponing doctor visits. A strong support system, like friends, family, or the hydrocephalus community, can encourage you to acknowledge challenges. Accepting help when needed can make a big difference.
3. Managing Depression in NPH: When to Seek Help
   It’s essential to recognize when to seek expert help for mental health! Depression and NPH can share symptoms like apathy, making it hard to differentiate between the two. Being proactive about your mental well-being can help you avoid letting NPH negatively impact your outlook. For more information on anxiety, depression, and hydrocephalus, click here.
4. Understanding Comorbid Dementias in NPH: What You Need to Know
   As we age, concerns about developing some form of dementia are common. Although some forms of dementia can co-occur with NPH, this may not always be the case! To learn more about NPH and comorbidities (related conditions), click here.
5. The Importance of Staying Active: Exercise Tips for NPH Patients
   Exercise is a cornerstone of maintaining health with NPH. Whether it’s physical therapy (PT) exercises or daily activity, staying active supports both physical and mental well-being.Dorothy’s Routine: Dorothy does her PT exercises every day. “I go back to my PT every year. You get out of PT what you put into it.”Gary’s Tip: Gary uses his Apple Watch to set activity goals. Having a tangible target keeps him motivated to move regularly.For more Healthy Living tips with NPH, click here.
6. Realistic Expectations: What to Expect After NPH Surgery
   Recovery involves more than medical treatment; it’s also about self-dedication. Set small, realistic, achievable goals for yourself, and be patient with your progress.  Adjusting your expectations day by day can make a big difference.
7. Finding Purpose in Your NPH Journey: Tips for Emotional Well-Being
   Feeling purposeful enhances well-being. Whether it’s a hobby, volunteering, or spending time with loved ones, finding a meaningful activity gives you something to look forward to and reinforces a sense of accomplishment. Small steps toward personal fulfillment can go a long way.
8. Building a Strong Support System
   A good support network can greatly impact your quality of life. Surround yourself with people who encourage you to prioritize self-care and seek assistance when needed. Whether it’s friends, family, or a support group, having people to lean on is invaluable.
9. Keeping a Sense of Humor: Why Laughter is Key to Managing NPH
   Laughter is critical in life and for your emotional health. Living with NPH can be challenging, but maintaining a light-hearted outlook makes it more manageable. Humor offers a mental break and keeps life enjoyable even during difficult times.

Tips and Tools for Navigating the NPH Journey More Safely Through the Lens of an Occupational Therapist

The occupational therapist views the world in a more complex way. They look at the person, what they want to do known as occupations, and the environment of these occupations. Deleted a few words in this paragraph and lost them. Meaningful occupations are often affiliated with our roles such as being a grandmother, caring for grandchildren, or the ability to put food on the table. We all have meaningful occupations we do in our leisure time which are very valuable too. So, the occupational therapist will look at the occupation and environment to build a bridge of function. NPH is not the sole determinant of your ability to do what you would like to do. Let’s cover some ways to adapt the occupation and environment in order to produce a meaningful quality of life:

Personal Factors: How Staying Strong Improves NPH Outcomes

What is one thing that is so important for you to do? Stay strong! Encourage as much activity as the current NPH condition will allow. The better strength you have before going into testing will allow you to be in a better condition to go through testing. This might result in more accurate results. For example, if you have really bad back pain you will need to get that under control so that it does impact the results of your assessment. Both the caregiver and patient should be involved in some form of physical activity. There are times when the caregivers’ strength will have to carry both people.

Use It or Lose It: Why Staying Engaged is Essential for NPH Patients

It is true, the less you use any function you have the quicker you will lose it. Whether it is cognition or bladder control or motor control, you have to be more intentional about staying engaged in these areas because your outcomes will be better as a result of it.

Occupation Factors: How to Modify Activities to Match Your NPH Condition

How can we modify our activities to match how our bodies are functioning?

Stay Engaged! Research tells us that when you are still able to do things that are important to you, your quality of life is better. You actually stay healthier and happier, you’re more fit, and your mortality rate is not as high. Ways to stay engaged:

• If you go to the gym, you can use the seated elliptical.
• If you love to cook, put your dishes that you use on a daily basis on a lower shelf so you can reach them and have a stool in the kitchen so you can sit while prepping food.
• Get a walker with a seat so you can go to your grandkids events and have a place to sit down.

Be Creative: Adapting to Life with NPH

You may not be able to do things the way you always did, but that does not mean you can’t do them.. Be creative in thinking about the ways in which you can do things differently!

Information you can trust! This article was produced by the Hydrocephalus Association, copyright 2025.