Planning a day with Parkinson’s disease
There are of course differences in the day to day plan of those living with Parkinson’s disease to those living what we would call a normal life. However the differences for many are not that big, and with a little bit of awareness and some primitive thought, it’s very possible to live well and have a very good quality of life, even with this chronic illness. Some suggestions which are good to keep on the day planner, which may be a change to you should you have been recently diagnosed, but will most likely prove to help you greatly though the day to day are.
Planning your day, including periods of rest where you can elevate feet and ankles, as a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease is swollen feet. Of course long days of work, and walking is not recommended, nor is long days of recreational activities, patience is important and doing a little bit at a time for your well being is often the best way to approach things.
Ensure that you are aware of your energy levels, as you may experience dips in energy more harshly than you have been used to in the past. Ensuring that you use the energy that you have in clever ways, as well as finding good ways to ensure that you don’t expend it without thought. Avoiding long walks, cumbersome lifting and so on. This may mean that you have to cut down on some of the activities that you have in your day to day life, ensuring that you don’t feel frustrated over doing less is also important, so ensure that there is good support available, and should you need to speak to someone seek support groups and counselling. You can always speak to your doctor and your peers when it comes to how to deal with things in the best way.
