Help Isn’t Just a Four-Letter Word

The monster storm, Florence, is just one of the many unexpected, unavoidable, and life-altering experiences to test our ability to adapt. The devastation from the waves, rain, and flood have washed away homes, lives, and memories. Numerous states, federal agencies, and a variety of relief agencies have stood up to provide aid. We all need help, and we all need to know how to ask for it!

Everyone needs help sometimes

Asking for assistance can be sobering and at times defeating. The fact is, whether we have Parkinson’s disease or not, we all have something and we all will need help at some point. There is no weakness in requesting help from others, whether it's moral support, advice, or encouragement.

Swallowing hard and asking of others is not easy for many of us, especially for those of us who fight to be as independent as we can be. Asking for help isn’t defeatist nor is it a sign of weakness. Even the wisest of leaders in business, governments, military, and academia know when to ask for re-enforcements, consultation, and a fresh perspective.

Don't be afraid

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are numerous services in our areas that many of us may overlook or fail to take full advantage of. Understanding and being familiar with the options available to us might bring on a big relief, possibly save money, and allow our care team some downtime.

Know your options and what's available

Once we recognize that we are willing to accept assistance, the plethora of services available to us will unveil. Our awareness for new options for both the patient and care team expands. Evaluating options may take time, patience, persistence, investigation, research, and availability.

It takes a village!

Sometimes, it takes a village to assist a person with a chronic condition and their care partner. Help is often closer than we realize, yet we must be observant enough to ask for what we want, or more importantly, for what we need.