Tag: Parkinson’s Awareness

News, Understanding Parkinson’s admin

When the World Loses Its Smell: An Overlooked Side of Parkinson’s

Imagine walking past a bakery.

Fresh bread is coming out of the oven.

People around you can smell it before they even reach the door.

But you can’t.

Or perhaps somebody makes your favourite coffee.

You recognise the taste. You enjoy the warmth. You know exactly what you’re drinking.

But that familiar aroma is missing.

Maybe you’ve noticed it gradually.

Or perhaps you haven’t noticed it at all.

For some people living with Parkinson’s, this is an everyday reality.

Changes to the sense of smell are among the lesser-known non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s, and they can begin long before the condition is diagnosed.
Read more “When the World Loses Its Smell: An Overlooked Side of Parkinson’s”

News, Living Well With Parkinson’s admin

The Meal Isn’t the Problem: Parkinson’s and the Pressure of Eating in Public

Going out for a meal is supposed to be enjoyable.

Good food. Good company. Somewhere different to spend an hour or two.

For many people, it’s one of life’s ordinary pleasures.

But for someone living with Parkinson’s, eating in a restaurant or café can sometimes involve challenges that other diners barely notice.

Not necessarily because they can’t eat.

Not because they don’t enjoy the food.

And certainly not because they don’t want to spend time with friends or family.

Sometimes the difficulty is everything surrounding the meal.

Read more “The Meal Isn’t the Problem: Parkinson’s and the Pressure of Eating in Public”

News admin

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”

News admin

“I’ll Do It in a Minute” — When Parkinson’s Looks Like Procrastination

The letter has been sitting on the table for three days.

You know it needs answering.

You haven’t forgotten about it.

In fact, you’ve thought about it at least fifteen times.

Each time, the same thought:

Parkinson’s and Putting Things Off: It Isn’t Always Procrastination - PCUK“I’ll do it in a minute.”

Then something happens.

Perhaps you become tired.

Perhaps another task takes longer than expected.

Perhaps you can’t quite decide what to write.

Perhaps the right moment simply never seems to arrive.

Tomorrow comes.

The letter is still there.

From the outside, this can look very familiar.

Procrastination.

We all do it.

But for somebody living with Parkinson’s, there can sometimes be much more happening behind that apparently simple delay.

Read more ““I’ll Do It in a Minute” — When Parkinson’s Looks Like Procrastination”

News admin

The Hardest Part Can Be Starting: Parkinson’s and That First Step

You know you need to get up.

You want to get up.

You are perfectly capable of getting up.

But for some reason, you are still sitting there.

Or perhaps you’re standing at the bottom of the stairs.

You know where you’re going.

Yet beginning feels disproportionately difficult.

Maybe the washing needs putting away, you need to get dressed, make lunch, go outside or start getting ready for an appointment.

Once you’re doing it, you may be fine.

It is that first movement — that transition from not doing to doing — that can sometimes feel like the biggest hurdle.

For people living with Parkinson’s, this can be a very real part of everyday life.

And from the outside, it can be easily misunderstood.

Read more “The Hardest Part Can Be Starting: Parkinson’s and That First Step”

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