Independence

Encourage your person with Parkinson's to manage as much as possible and adjust that load as you and they need. Determine what they can do before you determine what they can't do. By encouraging and expecting your person with Parkinson's to do tasks they're still capable of doing, you keep them connected to a sense of purpose and usefulness while also relieving some of your burdens and maintaining your own independence.

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Every situation is unique. Your person with Parkinson's may want nothing more than to keep doing everything independently, or they may feel so defeated by their diagnosis or progression that they don't want to do anything. Both can present challenges. As a care partner, it's essential to learn the balance between helping and enabling or between encouraging and dismissing. Maintaining constant communication can help you know which path is best at any given moment.

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Sources:

The Davis Phinney Foundation. Page 57. How Can I Encourage My Person with Parkinson's to maintain their independence as symptoms start progressing? Every Victory Counts for Care Partners. "Manual." Sixth Edition. 2021.

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