Shifting Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships
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Claudia Revilla’ s sons, David and Carlos( left), also provide support as care partners.
We all have roles and responsibilities within our partnerships or families. These are the everyday jobs that keep life moving, like taking out the trash, paying the bills, cleaning the bathroom or mowing the lawn. Sometimes we fall into a rhythm out of habit or preference. Other times, we discuss, divvy and assign roles.
Roles can shift temporarily, like when one person is traveling, focused on a hobby or involved in a big work project. Roles can also shift throughout life with Parkinson’ s, particularly as a person experiences physical or cognitive changes related to the disease:
+ Big muscle movement changes can lead to slowness and imbalance, which can make it harder or more time-consuming to do work around the house or in the yard.
+ Smaller muscle movement changes, like trouble with hand dexterity or coordination, might make doing the dishes or laundry more difficult.
Sometimes Parkinson’ s leads to a reversal of roles, where one person takes on tasks the other has always handled. For example:
+ Your loved one always managed the finances, but cognitive changes mean you need to step in.
+ Your loved one has to leave work or retire early, so you need to work more or make do with less.
+ Your parent needs help with bathing, dressing and other personal care, which is a switch from them caring for you throughout life.
+ You are the care partner to your adult child at a time when you may have otherwise imagined support from your child, given societal norms.
As with other life changes that Parkinson’ s can bring, communication and flexibility are key to managing these changes. For practical strategies that can help, turn to The Pillars of Care Partnership.
+ Cognitive changes can make tasks like scheduling appointments, following a recipe or paying bills confusing or no longer doable.
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