What Not to Say to a Person with Parkinson's

In this episode, Living with Parkinson’s Meetup (formerly the YOPD Council) panelists discuss:

• Common hurtful phrases they hear from people without Parkinson’s including, “I know how you feel” and “everybody’s got something”
• The importance of “listening for the love”
• The fact that many hurtful comments come from the people we love and can often stem from misunderstanding
• How to use hurtful comments as a teaching moment
• Communicating to others that Parkinson’s doesn’t always have to be the topic of conversation
• Dealing with people who try to ascribe meaning to their Parkinson’s, who don’t understand the non-motor symptoms they struggle with, and who misinterpret going on disability
• Being asked to “stop shaking” during medical appointments
• When and how to share your Parkinson’s diagnosis with others
• How to explain the “inconsistencies” with Parkinson’s
• Their favorite things that people without Parkinson’s have said

Visit the accompanying blog post for this episode here: http://davisphinneyfoundation.org/podcast-recording-what-not-to-say-to-a-person-with-parkinsons