I started volunteering one afternoon a week with the understanding that my husband’s needs would always come first. I explained this to the organization I was volunteering with and they have been very good about changes to my schedule or last-minute cancellations. It has been a great stress reliever for me as I spend 3 hours every week outside the Parkinson’s world and use my brain for other purposes than survival. This gives my husband a break from me too, something he hasn’t commented on but I think he probably enjoys. He has the freedom of having a few hours alone to do things that I might not encourage if I were here.

One other benefit that comes from my work outside the home is that of helping me remember I have value beyond the CarePartner role. My volunteer position isn’t challenging yet it is allowing me opportunities to interact with new people and to learn new things. I find that after just 3 hours each week, I bring a fresh perspective back with me and always have stories to share with my husband. I think he looks forward to hearing my adventures as much as I enjoy having them.