Healthy Living

How to Be an Encouraging Companion to a Friend or Relative with Parkinson’s Disease

A special note to spouses

As the husband or wife of a Parkinson’s patient, your love and encouragement will be instrumental to their well-being. All the activities and suggestions list here apply to you, but as a long-time friend of your spouse, think of ones unique to them. More than anyone else in the world, you know what delights them: their favorite song, activity, restaurant, movie, book, etc. Take the time to invest in their lives and give them something to look forward to. Parkinson’s disease carries a bunch of different needs, but love and encouragement supersede all else.

Sources

Parkinson's Disease.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 7 July 2015, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/basics/definition/con-20028488.

“The Parkinson’s Buddy Program.” Parkinson Support Center of Kentuckiana, www.parkinsoncenter.org/the-parkinsons-buddy-program/.

Chaput, Mary. “Caregivers Corner: Getting Prepared for Relative's Hospital Stay.”Capitalgazette.com, 21 Jan. 2017, www.capitalgazette.com/lifestyle/ph-ac-cl-caregivers-0122-20170122-story.html.

Foundation, National Parkinson. “Neuroprotective Benefits of Exercise for People With Parkinson's.” Neuroprotective Benefits of Exercise for People with Parkinson - AgingCare.com, 10 May 2012, www.agingcare.com/Articles/exercise-benefits-for-parkinson-patients-150798.htm.

Puzic, Sonja. “'Instantaneous Results': How Music Transformed a Man with Parkinson's.”CTVNews, 19 Jan. 2017, www.ctvnews.ca/health/instantaneous-results-how-music-transformed-a-man-with-parkinson-s-1.3248622.

Stengler, Dr. Mark. “Reading and Writing Can Slow Cognitive Decline.” Dr. Mark Stengler'sBestHealth Nutritionals, 30 July 2014, www.besthealthnutritionals.com/blog/2013/08/04/reading-and-writing-can-slow-cognitive-decline/.

www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kentucky/articles/2017-08-07/med-students-pair-with-patients-to-learn-about-parkinsons