Patience with Parkinson's: Yes, You Can
The psychosis portion of Parkinson’s is something I talk about a lot. But my dad does suffer from the issues that effect his motor functions and body movements. The way that I describe it is this: the brain cells cannot communicate with the rest of his body. His brain will tell him to move his leg, but his body just can’t do what it’s told.
This can be incredibly frustrating for both the patient and the caregiver. Simple movements are hard. My dad often says that “he can’t.” “Help me.” “I don’t know why I can’t do this.” The phrase “I can’t” was never in my dad’s vocabulary. He raised me to never give up or give in. You keep pushing until you get there. He seems to have lost that mentality. I think that scares him. But luckily for my dad, I study movement. I know how to treat patients that are immobilized, completely or partially. I know how to handle my dad. And I want to share how to handle someone with Parkinson’s that has difficulty moving.
What not to do: Don’t ever tell them that they aren’t trying. Seriously? Let’s upset them and embarrass them even more. That’s the worst thing you can possibly do. Don’t rush them. PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE! It will take time for them to remember how to move, give them that time. Don’t yell at them. Honestly, what good will that do? Yelling will not make them go any faster and it will not make them suddenly well. It hurts their feelings and they will remember that you weren’t nice to them. Don’t do it for them. This can be difficult because you just want to get something done, but they need to do it themselves. They need to do the motions, no matter how difficult. This helps them.
What to do: Encourage them! They will tell you that they can’t but you have to be positive. I always tell my dad “you can.” And “concentrate and do one movement at a time.” I remind him how to do it. I needs that. Smile! A reassuring smile makes things better. They won’t feel so self conscious and they will be more likely to ask for help.
Today I had to reteach my dad to scoot up from his chair to get up. It took him a bit but he got it. Patience helps. He forgets, but sometimes he remembers and he remembers the queues that I have given him. That makes me happy.
Moral of the story: Be patient with your Parkinson’s loved one. And always encourage them. They get down on themselves a lot, so reassurance and support goes a long way.