Parkinson's Disease Support Group
Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder often characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, a slowing of physical movement, and in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement. The primary symptoms of Parkinsons are due to excessive muscle contraction, normally caused by the insufficient formation and action of dopamine, which is produced in the dopaminergic neurons of the...
Around lunch time today I was on the internet writing a note to my brother,and I heard my husband getting our lunch. He does that once in a while, if I haven't started it. I thought to myself, I've been getting his lunch and dinner, etc. for over 40 years, so wouldn't it be a good idea for him to get our lunch every day and I'll get the dinner? I kind of get bored getting lunch and maybe he'll come up with some unique ideas for a change.
He was diagnosed with PD over 3 years ago and sit saound far too much and watches TV and then falls asleep and doesn't excercise on a daily basis. II thought it would get him moving around more rather than sitting in the recliner and watching TV while I'm in the kitchen getting lunch everyday. Don't you think that's a good idea? He said that I am always thinking of ways to get him moving, but that's one way I just thought of so far and I'll get lunch out of it.......lol.
However, how do you get into a person's head that he should do daily exercises for his own good?
He was diagnosed with PD over 3 years ago and sit saound far too much and watches TV and then falls asleep and doesn't excercise on a daily basis. II thought it would get him moving around more rather than sitting in the recliner and watching TV while I'm in the kitchen getting lunch everyday. Don't you think that's a good idea? He said that I am always thinking of ways to get him moving, but that's one way I just thought of so far and I'll get lunch out of it.......lol.
However, how do you get into a person's head that he should do daily exercises for his own good?
I have PD and started exercising after listening to the Web lectures on the National PD Foundation and on Michael J. Fox Foundation web site. Also YouTube has web lectures as well on exercise and PD.
I started exercising by walking 1 mile to and from the train station on my commute to work. My problem was my hubby would pick me up instead of letting me walk. He thought he was doing me a favor. I pulled up the videos about exercise and pd so he could listen to them and he now lets me walk. I spend a lot of time exercising - leaving him watching TV but he is very understanding now. Although he should come with me instead of watching TV because he has high BP but I cannot make him and know I have to exercise for me.
Maybe if you let him see the videos and if you do a search on this web site for the exercise discussions and let him read them it might help him realize that he doesn't have to hurt from cramps and he can feel better mentally by exercising. It doesn't take a whole lot - walking is very good and stretching (yoga or Tai Chi) is the best!!! They usually have Tai Chi at a YMCA and the instructors are usually male.
Good luck!!
I have tried to get my husband to do more exercising, but he has problems with his ankle and doesn't walk to far. The ankle problem developed several years after he broke his ankle. Anyway, he did walk last week all the way to the garage which is about a 30 minute walk. He had to pick up our vehicle which was being repaired and I jokingly said, "Why don't you walk there", so he did that time.
Sometimes he walks up town to get the mail but now that it's getting colder I doubt if he will. I am usually the one that walks, but maybe I can persuade him to come sometime too. It's nicer walking with someone else.
When he first developed PD I got some instructions from the doctor for exercising but he's never done them. Also our PD support group has a weekly excercise class although it's a 25 minutes drive to get there, but he isn't interested either. He won't even go to the support group with me as it makes him feel worse to see others with the disease. He did come a few times, and I still go, but I'm not pushing it for him to go anymore.
Our daughter knows how I feel about the exercises and she knows other people with PD and wishes her dad would do more rather than sitting around. I think she has mention that fact to him.
Thanks for your thoughts on the subject and hopefully he see the light some day.
Lynnie
OH BOY, SITTING AROUND ALL DAY I FEEL PLAYS STRAIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF PARKINSON'S.
IT IS VITAL TO BE ACTIVE.
I FEEL IF A CARER IS DOING THINGS WHICH THE THE CARE-EE CAN STILL DO, THEN THAT IS NOT HELPING ONE LITTLE BIT.
PEOPLE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I GAVE UP USING SUBSIDIZED TAXIS - THE REASON WAS - IT WAS MAKING ME LAZY AND DOING ME NO GOOD AT ALL.
LYN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ENCOURAGE HIM TO BE ACTIVE, THIS IS VITAL, BENEFITING BODY AND SOUL, YOURS TOO.
I know when my mom had PD she struggled so hard to do some sort of exercise. In the beginning she tried using a statonary bike, it was okay until she started getting too wobbly on it, losing her balance. Then when she was confined to a wheelchair she did all the exercises she could do religiously each and every day, she was a fanatic about it. Towards the end, I would go in her room at the nh and she would have her eyes closed sitting in the wheelchair lifting her arms up and down, up and down, one, two, one two....and then she would lift her feet as high as she could.
Good luck with husband, he should be noticing that the more immobile he lets himself be, the more rigid he will be.
Melody
You have a lot of good suggestions. The one thing about being too tired. I stopped walking about 3-4 years ago because PD caused me to be sooooo tired - it was hard to put one foot in front of the other, to lift my arms - and I didn't know I had PD - I didn't know what was wrong with me. Once I started walking and doing exercises I am hardly ever tired. My endurance is really good. I love PD Daughter's mother. It ain't over until its over!!!!! If she could do it she was going to try to keep up her lifestyle. I think this website is inspiring http://www.pllus.org
Also maybe your husband should see a physical therapist about his ankle - so the ankle problem can be addressed. Usually whatever is ailing these old bones can be helped by PT and exercise schedule given to us by a PT to strengthen our weakest link. LOL