Parkinson’s – #MakeCaringVisible
12/06/2020
By 2020 Tricia Thomas
My father had Parkinson’s with dementia for the last 7 years of his life and my mother did everything for him, with great determination to the best carer she could be.
His Parkinson’s meant he was not easy to care for in lots of ways. Living on a farm, Mum had to be vigilant at all times – for someone who could mostly only shuffle along, Dad could be off in a flash when she turned her back; it was relentlessly exhausting. Mum’s weekly ‘me time’ was having her hair done, when a friend would come and sit with Dad for a couple of hours.
Many carers find themselves in older age, like Mum, looking after a spouse, partner or child, at a time of life when they could do with a bit help themselves. There will be masses of carers who have no possibly during lockdown to have any ‘me time’. A chance to chat with you might be just the interaction they need to lift their spirits and make their day. And there is help but they may not know about it, or want to ask for it.
