I do a lot of on-line research and participate in support groups and webinars about PD looking for things that might make our lives easier. Then, when I come across things that have worked for others, I bring them to my husband. We talk about what I learned, and that is often where it ends.

How can I encourage him to do more? Should I? First and foremost, I need to acknowledge how much he is already doing. Simply getting through the day is a struggle for him and requires so much more energy than it does for someone without Parkinson’s Disease. He is already exercising 6 days a week, he is involved in a PD support group, he makes it to all his appointments and tries to help out around the house when he can. Does it really matter that I can’t get him to change to a Mediterranean diet?

We try to take regular walks and those have advanced to pole walking or Nordic walking in our neighborhood. He will get down on the floor daily to play with the dog and I can sometimes encourage him to lay back for a couple of minutes to stretch his spine and pecs. He eats the healthy foods I put in front of him, within limits. Rather than asking him to do more with new things I come across, I should be comfortable sharing and letting it go. I need to own the fact that this is his journey and let him take the lead.