FALL 2021 | VOLUME 13, ISSUE 3
Parkinson Voice Tips to help make your holiday season positive and safe
Cari Friedman, LCSW | Patient & Family Services Director, Parkinson Association of the Rockies First and foremost This can be both wonderful and distressing for during the Pandemic all involved. For Care Partners, stress can be times, make sure you overwhelming. Worried about keeping everyone are vaccinated and happy? Balancing entertaining others while wear a mask for both looking out for the person with PD? Try not to fall you and the person off the tight rope. with PD. Take care of yourself first. It is like the saying that
TRANSPORTATION
Travel during the holidays can be stressful for even the most seasoned traveler. When traveling out of town during the holidays, accommodating your needs will ensure your holidays are filled with family memories rather than Parkinson’s inconveniences. Make sure to take your partner’s medications and keep them in an easily accessible location. If air travel, take in your carry-on bag. If flying ask for an aisle seat, close to the front of the plane. Be sure to arrive early to the airport. Plan on having to wait in long lines and walking long distances. If you have difficulty with walking, try using an assistive device, i.e. cane, walker or wheel chair that you can borrow from the Parkinson Association of the Rockies equipment loan program. The stability provided by mobility devices will give you confidence to move more freely through the airport and your travels.
DINING The holidays consistently have traditional meals throughout the season. There can be as few as two to dozens of family and friends at the gatherings.
flight attendants make before the plane takes off. “Put your oxygen mask on first before your dependent. You need to be set before you can help your loved one.” It is natural to want to help your loved one first before yourself, but take a breath, compose yourself before helping others.
TIPS FOR DEALING WITH CHOKING AND SPEAKING SOFTLY Choking can occur when eating foods that are dry i.e. crackers, nuts. Cut food up into small bites. If going to a restaurant, ask the waiter to have the chef cut the food up before serving, so the Care Partner does need to do this at the table. It allows the Care Partner to enjoy the meal with the person with Parkinson’s and others at the meal.
Specific issues that arise for people with CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Parkinson’s are difficulty swallowing certain foods and projection of voice. Know that many A LOOK INSIDE times they can be in conjunction. This can be 3 Join Us For An Open House frustrating for the Care Partner on many levels. One thinks that eating and talking should be natural/normal for you. Unfortunately, this can be 4 Honors & Memorials some of the toughest things to deal with as a Care Partner. Having to constantly ask the person with “The Best Diet For Parkinson’s 6 PD to speak up. “I can’t hear you” to the person Disease” with PD saying “You need to get your hearing checked”. When in fact, you’re both right. What 7 Colorado Gives Day you hear and what the person with Parkinson’s (PWP) hears are very different. As a Care Partner, 8/9 Upcoming Events remember that the person with Parkinson’s does not think they are talking softly. Some folks have soft sounding voices. If there are a number of 10/11 Support Group & Exercise Class Schedules people present, it may be loud, and the person with Parkinson’s may not be heard. He/she This Newsletter is then becomes frustrated and withdraws from sponsored by: contributing to the conversation.