Tag: Communication

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When Everything Gets a Little Smaller: Parkinson’s and the Movements We Don’t Notice

Watch two people having an animated conversation.

They don’t only talk with their voices.

Hands move.

Arms gesture.

Shoulders shift.

Faces react.

Someone leans forward when they’re interested.

They turn towards the person speaking.

They nod.

They point.

They shrug.

Most of this happens without anybody consciously deciding to do it.

We simply move.

But Parkinson’s can change something quite subtle about movement.

It doesn’t necessarily stop a movement completely.

Sometimes it makes the movement smaller.

Read more “When Everything Gets a Little Smaller: Parkinson’s and the Movements We Don’t Notice”

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Why Interruptions Can Be So Frustrating With Parkinson’s

“Where Was I?”

You’re halfway through making a cup of tea when somebody asks you a question.

You answer them.

Then you look back at the kitchen worktop.

And for a moment you think:

“What was I doing?”

Or perhaps you’re telling somebody a story.

They interrupt with a quick comment.

You respond.

Then comes the dreaded:

“I’ve completely forgotten what I was going to say.”

Everybody experiences this occasionally.

But for some people living with Parkinson’s, interruptions can be particularly disruptive.

It isn’t necessarily that the person has forgotten how to make tea, finish getting dressed or complete whatever task they were doing.

The difficulty can be getting back to the point where they were interrupted.

Read more “Why Interruptions Can Be So Frustrating With Parkinson’s”

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When Your Face Doesn’t Show How You Feel: Parkinson’s and Facial Expression

We read faces constantly.

A smile tells us somebody is pleased to see us.

A raised eyebrow suggests surprise.

A change around the eyes can tell us somebody is amused before they have said a word.

Most of us interpret these signals without even realising we’re doing it.

But Parkinson’s can sometimes change the way emotion appears on somebody’s face.

The person may be interested, happy, excited or amused — yet their expression may not communicate those feelings as clearly as it once did.

And that can lead to one of the more easily misunderstood aspects of living with Parkinson’s.

Read more “When Your Face Doesn’t Show How You Feel: Parkinson’s and Facial Expression”

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