Do You Know Someone Who is “In Denial”?

This week I heard about a couple of people, diagnosed with Parkinson’s, who were described as being “in denial”. I often hear this from concerned friends and family members. Given some of the horror stories I hear about how some patients are given their diagnosis, I’m not surprised. Still, I’m always sad to hear about people who are isolating themselves and missing out on a rich source of support and friendship – other people in our Parkinson community.

Donuts do, too!

We started our cafes so people would have a place to go and just relax with others because we recognize that the thought of attending a support group can often be intimidating. I know walking alone into a strange place where I don’t know anyone doesn’t excite me at the best of times. People who come to our cafes understand what living with Parkinson’s is like, and they are caring and welcoming. Although Parkinson’s is what brings us together, we mostly talk about lifestyle things. Patients are people, too, so while you’ll meet other patients at our cafes, the focus is on us as people.

If you know someone who is living with Parkinson’s and in denial, alone at home, please invite them to come to one of our cafes. Family and friends are welcome to come along, too. Let’s help the Parkinson people we know who are in denial to feel empowered about making the most of their life with Parkinson’s.

Did George HW Bush have Parkinson’s?
With the passing of former president George HW Bush people are asking about vascular parkinsonism – what is it, and how is it compared to Parkinson’s? Parkinson’s Life has a good explanation. Click here to read about the differences between the two conditions.

Emergency Preparedness
At our Cafe Fairfax on December 19, Courtney Arroyo from the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management is coming to speak to us about Emergency Preparedness. We last talked about this back in January 2017 and I created a page on our website to record all the things we learned from each other. Check out our Preparing for an Emergency page. I hope to add to it after Courtney’s visit. In the meantime, I just learned about another handy resource from Fairfax County – their Guide to Snow. Click here to read all about it!

Hoping to see you out and about soon!

Cheers,
Sonia
email: Sonia@ParkinsonSocialNetwork.org