Pandemic Lessons for PwPs: Surviving this New Journey with COVID-19
After living with the threat of COVID-19 for nearly a year, we are all more than a bit weary of the drastic changes we have had to make in our lives. As the virus surges, wanes and then surges again, we face more and more restrictions on what we can and cannot do. Some of us with Parkinson’s have managed pretty well, looking for ways to connect with others. Unfortunately, there are many who have become isolated, rarely leaving their homes or making contact with others outside of the home. According to Dr. Laurie Mischley, a presenter at the most recent 5th World Parkinson Congress, loneliness can be devastating to People with Parkinson’s, causing them to decline much more rapidly.
There is hope for an end to the Pandemic
Speak to your health care provider about getting the vaccine. Scientists have been working at warp speed to produce a vaccine for the virus in less than a year. It will take a few months to get the vaccine to those of us who are not health care workers or over 75, so just hang in there and take care of yourself. Stay at home as much as possible and make sure you are wearing a mask and socially distancing when going out.
Making contact with the outside world
Since last March, many organizations have embraced Zoom and other meeting platforms to offer an amazing array of lectures, support groups, exercise classes and more. So much so that we find ourselves “Zooming” for hours every day. You may think it is too much “screen time” for you, but without it, you have lost your lifeline to the outside world. Look for activities online that require you to do more than just sitting and looking at the screen all day.
Here are a few suggestions of things offered by the WPC online:
· A dual language webinar series is being offered. Choose your preferred language, English or Spanish. Started on Dec 2, 2020 and running through 2021, visit www.WorldPDCoalition.org/webinarseries for details.
· WPC’s 2nd Care Partner Talk Series launching on Thursday, March 4 looking at Care Partners and Self Care throughout the journey
· WPC Virtual Congress: Advancing Science, Care, and Living with Parkinson’s, our first ever virtual program to be held from May 17-21, 2021.
· WPC Research Spotlight. Hear straight from the scientists what they are most excited about with their Parkinson’s research.
As a Parkinson’s blogger, I have had the opportunity to share with my readers many of the different things offered to PwP’s that I have found online. Here are some more suggestions for things to do from one of my recent blog posts:
· Support groups. So many have gone online. Find one that works for you. Last March, I took my own Women’s group online with Zoom. Sunday Mornings with Twitchy Women has been meeting every two weeks and has gained an international following. Each meeting features a different speaker or topic of interest to women with Parkinson’s.
· Audiobooks. As Parkinson's progresses, it may become more difficult to read, even on a Kindle or similar device. You can buy books to download through apps like Audible or Chirp. Most libraries offer a wide range of digital content and much of it is free. All you need is a phone and an app to access just about anything you want to listen to.
· The gift of learning. A huge number of courses from world-class universities and corporations are available through Coursera, The Great Courses and other online platforms. Likewise, many universities offer classes online for their alumni. It should be easy to find something that will be of interest to you or your loved one.
· Learning a new language is great for the brain. Duolingo offers foreign language lessons in many different languages. All you need is a computer or smartphone to get started.
· Tour the world - virtually! Do you miss traveling? Many tour companies offer virtual tours on-line. A quick search will find a virtual tour for wherever you want to go. You can make the experience even more fun by having a meal with food and music from the city or country you are visiting. Make it a total experience. You could even try speaking the language that you learned on Duolingo.
· Missing Parkinson's exercise classes? Check with your boxing, yoga, dance or other PD exercise classes to see if they are offering their classes through Zoom. It is a great way to connect with them again. Many of these classes are now being offered on a donation basis. Please support these instructors with a donation. Many of them are suffering from the closures of their gyms. This is a gift for them, too.
· A night out at the Opera or Theater. Virtually! My husband “Mr. Twitchy” and I recently watched a very entertaining interactive magic show online offered by a local theater company. Friends joined us online from their home and we all had a lot of fun. Check with your local theaters, symphonies, operas and other entertainment venues to see what is available. The Met Opera streams many of its operas nightly. You will have to purchase tickets or a subscription for access to many of these shows.
· Cooking classes. What can be more fun than playing with your food. Make a mess in your kitchen. It’s good for you. Just make sure you have someone to help with cutting and chopping if it is difficult for you.
Check out the Resources page on my website for some other ideas.
Just remember that the most important thing you can do to get through this Pandemic is to stay safe and stay well. We want to see you at the WPC in Barcelona, June 7-10, 2022.
Sharon Krischer was a Blogger Partner for the 5th World Parkinson Congress. She writes about the joys and oys of Parkinson's on her blog Twitchy Woman.
Ideas and opinions expressed in this post reflect that of the author(s) solely. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of the World Parkinson Coalition®