Falls and Their Role on Daily Activities: People Living with Parkinson’s Disease
Falls can greatly change our loved one’s perceptions of themselves and how we see them. There is no way around it, falls not only hurt, but in some cases, they lead to injuries that can be life changing and can be very traumatic. Naturally, we want to avoid falls and any injuries as much as possible. There are different things that can affect willingness to participate in activities according to research by Huang and Associates (2021).
Weighing Risks vs Benefits:
In some cases, the risk is worth the reward, while in other cases we may not be aware of how much of a risk we may be taking. Some of our loved ones may also have Parkinson’s dementia which may affect judgement and safety concerns due to changes that are happening in the brain. For others, simply knowing and accepting limitations can be a deciding factor on doing certain activities or not.
Fear of Falls
Sometimes the fear of falls or after effects of falls can really affect one’s motivation. Falls hurt and can lead to injuries, but they can also be embarrassing in many ways. Even more so, they really do have a role on confidence with oneself and with care partners. These feelings can affect how our loved one’s see themselves and even how they think we may see them. Combined together these can affect whether someone becomes motivated to participate in activities.
Desire for a Normal Life
Regardless of one’s situation we all want to live our lives. We all want independence, a social life, to do the things we want to do. Even though something may be difficult to do, having the choice and ability to do it is still a very powerful thing on how we see ourselves. Choosing between being safe or being independent is something that can really affect to what extent our loved ones participate in activities.
Understanding it’s a part of Parkinson’s
Accepting that Parkinson’s disease it progressive can influence whether our loved ones living with Parkinson’s participate in certain activities. Everyone may process their diagnosis and the changes that come with it very differently. For some, accepting the need for help and assistance may be more easier to do while for others the loss of one’s sense of independence may be harder to accept. Additionally, it is important to also know what is normal as Parkinson’s progresses and what is not.
Everyone has different things that make our daily lives meaningful. I always suggest that as our bodies and needs change so should the way we go about doing things. When we understand the things our loved one with Parkinson’s value and find meaningful, we can better help adjust our approach to care to meet their needs, and also the needs of all care partners.
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Huang, Y., Canning, C. G., Song, J., Clemson, L., & Allen, N. E. (2022). How does perceived fall risk influence decisions about whether to undertake activities in people with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners? A qualitative study. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(20), 6000–6008. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2021.1955983
