I am starting to look at having in-home help. My husband’s symptoms are reaching the point where it may not be safe to leave him at home for extended periods and I need to be able to get away from the house from time to time whether it is for personal appointments or, quite simply, my mental health. We were talking about this the other day and my husband commented on how he likes having the house to himself for an hour or so occasionally and I responded with yes, I’d like that too. I don’t think he had really ever seen it from my perspective that I am never at home by myself. In my search for help, I am hoping to find someone who can take him to the gym once a week to give me that hour of uninterrupted time.

We first learned about a program that can help me find the right in-home provider about a year ago. I posted their number on the wall above my computer in anticipation of this day. I think that being able to finally admit to someone else that I need help will be a big step and, hopefully, things will start to fall into place. I’m also making a list of things I think we need help with, I’ll go over that list with my husband to make sure we are both on the same page. Once we agree on what in-home care for us should look like, I’ll make the call and get the process started.

I am grateful for the Parkinson’s Support Group that we attend. Through those meetings I have had the opportunity to meet many of the local service providers, potentially people who could send someone into our home. I can also look at the other CarePartners in the group who have taken this step ahead of me. I see how they navigated the process and it encourages me to try. I know that when I have questions about what to do next, they will have answers, things that have worked for them. My fellow CarePartners are the best resource of all for me on this challenging journey.