You are on the right track. It is very difficult ot be both spouse and caregiver. While you seem to have accepted that dual role, your husband has not. Conditions such as PD can create quite a strain on a relationship.
You might be better off having your husband’s neurologist or even primary care doctor make a referral to the proper therapy center for either or both exercise and occupational therapy depending upon his needs. And yes, even a massage therapist if he has the rigidity and stiffness typical of PD.
The reason for going through the physicians is that you want your medical insurance to cover as much as possible. There may even be specific areas which require attention. While the physical and exercise therapists probably don’t work with the neurologist, a good medical massage therapist will.
I don’t know how to impress him without the possibility of causing him to become depressed, but perhaps that is part of the problem. Perhaps he is in denial about the progression of PD. You already know that progression van vary just as symptoms vary between patients but there is no question that an exercise regimen needs to be initiated as soon as possible to fight the daily effects of stiffening. Having a program at home and/or at a center will establish a regular pattern.
You can enlist the aid of a local support group but I’d check with them first because there are some very sedentary support groups which will only reinforce his current (lack of) activity.
You don’t indicate his medications nor his level of function and limitations. Also important is his regular daily routine. How would that be impacted by not being able to move freely, by loss of balance issues, by freezing?
You could have him watch "My Father, My Brother and Me" with you. Perhaps that will help him to see the changes. Here is a link to a PD article which contains the link. You will also find articles about exercises which can be done at home for PD. Articles about current therapies, medications, nutrition, and a host of other PD related issues: http://parkinsonsfocustoday.blogspot.com/2009/06/parkinsons-disease-as-seen-in-my-father.html
This is not easy for you. My husband - who has PD - just looked over my shoulder and suggested that I should mention the importance of endorphins as related to sex. As a courtesy to him, I mention it but that’s your affair not ours. But the growing physical limitations can impact that aspect of your lives as well.
You are on the right track. It is very difficult ot be both spouse and caregiver. While you seem to have accepted that dual role, your husband has not. Conditions such as PD can create quite a strain on a relationship.
You might be better off having your husband’s neurologist or even primary care doctor make a referral to the proper therapy center for either or both exercise and occupational therapy depending upon his needs. And yes, even a massage therapist if he has the rigidity and stiffness typical of PD.
The reason for going through the physicians is that you want your medical insurance to cover as much as possible. There may even be specific areas which require attention. While the physical and exercise therapists probably don’t work with the neurologist, a good medical massage therapist will.
I don’t know how to impress him without the possibility of causing him to become depressed, but perhaps that is part of the problem. Perhaps he is in denial about the progression of PD. You already know that progression van vary just as symptoms vary between patients but there is no question that an exercise regimen needs to be initiated as soon as possible to fight the daily effects of stiffening. Having a program at home and/or at a center will establish a regular pattern.
You can enlist the aid of a local support group but I’d check with them first because there are some very sedentary support groups which will only reinforce his current (lack of) activity.
You don’t indicate his medications nor his level of function and limitations. Also important is his regular daily routine. How would that be impacted by not being able to move freely, by loss of balance issues, by freezing?
You could have him watch "My Father, My Brother and Me" with you. Perhaps that will help him to see the changes. Here is a link to a PD article which contains the link. You will also find articles about exercises which can be done at home for PD. Articles about current therapies, medications, nutrition, and a host of other PD related issues:
http://parkinsonsfocustoday.blogspot.com/2009/06/parkinsons-disease-as-seen-in-my-father.html
You should also try to share the information about Forced Exercise with him. There are additional links in the article below:
http://parkinsonsfocustoday.blogspot.com/2009/05/forced-exercise-to-relieve-parkinsons.html
This is not easy for you. My husband - who has PD - just looked over my shoulder and suggested that I should mention the importance of endorphins as related to sex. As a courtesy to him, I mention it but that’s your affair not ours. But the growing physical limitations can impact that aspect of your lives as well.
Best wishes.