I Need Some Help With Communicating With A PD Patient That Has Little Or No Facial Expression. | MyParkinsonsTeam

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I Need Some Help With Communicating With A PD Patient That Has Little Or No Facial Expression.
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member asked a question 💭

I need tools to help better communicate with a spouse with PD, who has the "PD mask" of little or no expression.

posted January 19, 2016
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A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

From http://www.parkinson.ca/site/c.kgLNIWODKpF/b.65...
Good luck and good health

The following are some tips for communicating effectively with someone with Parkinson’s:

Choose times when the person’s meds are working to have important conversations.

Pay attention to how you are speaking as well as what you are saying. Speak clearly with short sentences and be sensitive to tone of voice, for example, resist sounding impatient or frustrated.

Give the person time to respond.

Remain an engaged listener through non-verbal cues like nodding your head, touching the person’s arm or maintaining eye contact (if culturally appropriate).

Encourage the person to speak loudly when giving their response.
Ask the person how they are feeling or what they are thinking when their facial expression masks their responses.

Use actions as well as words.

posted January 20, 2016 (edited)
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

The eyes are the answer. A twinkle or a wrinkle is all you need to see inside the mask. Support that feeling in the conversation and everyone else will also.

posted January 19, 2016
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

All I can say is he is,who he is. My husband also has that. He also has and really always has - no reactions. This is a very hard one for me. I am a very reactive type person and he has none. I kind of think that he has had PD for many,many years and we just thought it was depression. That is why PD is so confusing b/c there are so many facets to it. I am working very hard on the reaction thing and not doing great but am trying. I always felt like he didn't care because of that but now I know what it is.He's always been that way since I've known him so is it depression? PD? Confusing. But, I have to work on it every day, knowing the he really does care and just accept this is who he is. So, I guess my answer would be "acceptance." It's a hard one for me. I'll just keep working on it.

posted January 19, 2016
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

This is something I have had experience of. A relative of mine experienced this. She could not alter her facial expressions, neither could she make herself understood when speaking. The physio gave her some facial expressions to practice, but they really didn't help.
Visiting her was very difficult because it was impossible to have a conversation with her and really difficult if you thought you had understood her, and had not. It was all in her eyes. She was so frustrated. I really didn't understand what she was going through. Ironically, now I can
We never found an answer to this, I am sorry to say. When she spoke we asked her to just say a few words at a time and this did help slightly for a while. I just don't know the answer I suppose facial expressions with her physio is about the only thing I can recommend, but I realise these are not a solution, Sorry not to have been more help.

posted January 19, 2016
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

SorTablet time. Will speak to you later.

posted January 23, 2016

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