Some personal hygiene challenges, things like clipping toenails, are beyond my husband’s capabilities thanks to his PD diagnosis. At first, I was just ignoring them and waiting for him to ask before stepping in to help. Eventually, it became obvious that this was an area where he just couldn’t ask for assistance so I finally started the conversation. Talking about where he might need additional support was challenging yet it opened new doors of communication between us and has resulted in growth in his abilities and my capacity to provide care. 

Some of my fellow CarePartners look at hiring someone to take care of these issues. I know one couple who have made going out for pedicures a part of their monthly routine. Another person has a visiting nurse who comes in regularly to examine her husband’s feet and trim his nails. Instead, we decided to tackle what we can at home rather than look outside for help. The day we have to hire outside help will come soon enough.

Discussing these problems with my husband can be embarrassing, however, by working together we have overcome much of the initial discomfort. It has been good for us to try to figure out what works in each situation and has also shown us that we can handle delicate matters without destroying our relationship. There are going to be things I am called to do that seem more in the caregiver role, and yet in the end I will always be his Caring Partner as we travel this journey together.