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I support Erika and her family from a distance. She’ s mindful of making sure her husband has the time he needs to care for himself. It’ s important to be a care partner to the care partner, too, making sure he takes care of himself.
Walter Siegenthaler
Make Self-Care Part of Your Day
Self-care doesn’ t need to take a lot of time, energy or money. It’ s less about how much time or money you spend, and more about showing up regularly and getting the most out of whatever time you can commit. To start, find five minutes each day to focus on yourself. Some suggestions:
As you begin your self-care journey, start small. Maybe aim for a short activity one to three times a week and, once you achieve that, aim for every day. Continue to build from there. Try to start each day by asking,“ How can I best care for myself today?” Commit to doing one thing each day.
+ First thing in the morning, before you get out of bed, take three deep breaths.
+ While you are brushing your teeth or drinking your coffee, do a few squats, lunges or push-ups or stand near a window to get morning light.
+ When your loved one is napping or resting comfortably, put your feet up, make a warm cup of tea or journal for a few minutes.
+ As you get ready for bed or just before you fall asleep, name three things for which you are grateful.
You can also spread self-care throughout the day. If it’ s hard to get 30 minutes of continuous exercise, can you do three 10-minute sessions instead? If it’ s tough to find quiet time to meditate, can you bring mindfulness to another activity, like eating a meal or doing a care partnering task? Mindfulness is simply being in the moment by paying close attention— without judgement— to what you see, feel, hear, smell or taste. You can do this anywhere, anytime.
Bernard Whitman makes yoga a consistent part of his personal routine. Prioritizing self-care is essential for both people with Parkinson’ s and those who support them.
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