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Learn from missteps. Select one care partnering“ mistake” that you replay in your mind. What lessons did the experience offer? How might that learning transform the event from a source of self-criticism into a stepping-stone for growth?
Give yourself positive feedback. Reflect on a time when you felt rested and kind toward yourself. How did that mindset influence the patience, empathy or creativity you brought to your loved one’ s care, compared with a time when you felt exhausted or self-critical?
We asked: What’ s one thing you want other Parkinson’ s care partners to know?
Prentis: While friends and neighbors often want to help the person with Parkinson’ s, care partners need emotional and physical support, too. We must ensure care partners feel seen and valued.
Josip: The person you’ re caring for is still a sovereign being. As a caregiver, your job is to show up and support them; you love and accept them as they are, not as you wish they were. I’ m here to walk beside my father for as long as he needs me, however he needs me— even when we disagree.
Embrace Flexibility
Parkinson’ s is unpredictable. Sometimes you might feel like anything that can go wrong, is going wrong. Being flexible can help ride the ups and downs more easily. Start by adjusting expectations: Before Parkinson’ s, a good day might have looked like waking up early, hitting the gym and preparing a full dinner. After Parkinson’ s, a good day may be defined by doing just one of those things.
Another way to practice flexibility is to know that plans will change— and to roll with those changes. Maybe your doctor is late for an appointment, your loved one’ s medication wore off earlier than expected or your grocery delivery is delayed. Take a beat, assess the situation and adjust from there. You can’ t control your doctor’ s schedule; you can control whether you get annoyed with the delay and what you do with the extra, unexpected time. Sometimes staying flexible is as simple as giving others grace.
Remember: You can only control your own thoughts, responses and behaviors, not those of others. Trying to control what you can’ t control is a surefire way to set yourself up for anger or disappointment.
Jessie: Everything slows down. I’ m usually good at being patient, but I do fail sometimes— I’ m human. Patience is absolutely critical.
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