Cómo Vivir Bien con Parkinson: 6 Recomendaciones Prácticas (Episodio 2)

Key wellness strategies & self-care / productivity tips

• Lean on your identity and strengths

  • Use your talents, beliefs, cultures, and interests to cope with Parkinson’s.
  • Remember that you can still contribute in ways that fit your current abilities—even at home.
  • Reframe “I can’t” thoughts by making space for realistic participation (including when caregiving responsibilities make time feel limited).

• Carve out time for yourself (even small amounts)

  • “First, carve out time for yourselves.”
  • Even if it’s limited, the goal is to protect personal time to support well-being and independence.
  • Setting an example for family (spouse/parents/children) can itself be a powerful motivator.

• Return to (or restart) meaningful creative activities

  • Creative outlets can help with re-connection to self and emotional processing.
  • Examples mentioned by ambassadors:
    • Painting to express emotions, reduce mental overload, and support focus/rest.
    • Writing (e.g., poems or short stories) to turn experiences into words and meaning.
  • Practical adaptation ideas (when materials are limited):
    • Use what you have on hand (e.g., household/food-based pigments or improvised tools) to keep the practice going.

• Find a “passion” that helps you forget the illness—at least temporarily

  • Examples discussed:
    • Martial arts to rebuild balance, strength, and stability during difficult periods.
    • Spending time with what matters most (e.g., grandchildren) so attention shifts away from symptoms.

• Empower yourself through knowledge—without letting fear stop you

  • Learn about Parkinson’s to make better decisions about:
    • medications and treatments
    • lifestyle
    • work
  • If fear arises (e.g., worries about diagnosis or meeting people with advanced disease), use a grounding approach:
    • Work day-by-day rather than comparing yourself to others.
    • Track small achievements (e.g., cleaning a corner, walking for minutes) and treat them as real wins.
    • Compare to yourself, not to other patients.

• Take charge, and don’t put the responsibility only on the doctor

  • The person with Parkinson’s manages the condition with support from the doctor and the care team.
  • Empowerment starts internally: you must want to learn, believe in the process, and be willing to participate.
  • Ask questions explicitly to clarify options and next steps, such as:
    • What medications are available?
    • What treatments exist?
    • What is the prognosis?
    • Are surgeries an option?
    • What else can I do to improve?

• Clarify your “why” to maintain motivation

  • Identify what motivates you to keep moving forward (goals and purpose may differ by person).
  • Use meaningful milestones (e.g., dancing with a spouse again) as evidence that progress is possible—and that motivation strengthens resilience.

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Presenters / sources

• Claudia Martínez — Director of Hispanic Community Engagement, Davis(eny) Foundation (per subtitles)
• Dr. María de León — Neurologist specializing in movement disorders; person living with Parkinson’s
• Laura Olmos — Ambassador
• Jaime Robledo — Ambassador
• Nicole — Ambassador (first name not provided in subtitles)