Everyday Parkinson’s Strategies for Home and Daily Life

Parkinson’s can make daily tasks more effortful- stiffness, slowness, and freezing can get in the way. Here are some everyday strategies to try, that might make some tasks easier. The key theme across all activities is to move BIG, and with INTENTION because exaggeration and conscious effort can help keep you moving well.

Set yourself up for success by ensuring your home is well set up – stick down rugs so they aren’t loose to trip over, and get rid of any trailing wires around the TV. Small changes can make a big difference. 

Reduced Facial Expressiveness (Hypomimia / “Masked Face”)

In Parkinson’s, facial muscles can become stiff and slow to respond. This isn’t because emotions are lacking, but that they don’t show as strongly as before. People may smile less fully, look serious when they’re happy, or blink less often, which can make them seem disinterested.

What can help:

• Practice exaggerated expressions in a mirror (smiling, raising eyebrows, puffing out cheeks, scrunching the nose, puckering the lips, frowning).
• Layer facial expressions and voice work into other daily exercises — exaggerating face, body, and voice together strengthens all three at the same time.
• Watch comedy, spend time with friends and do other things that really bring out your emotions – giving more natural facial expressions.
• Blink deliberately and often to prevent a fixed stare.

Getting In & Out of Bed

Getting in and out of bed can be one of the trickiest daily challenges. In the night or first thing in the morning you are likely to be ‘off’ and underpowered, so movements are more effortful. Try thinking about making your movements bigger and faster. The weight of your duvet can have a big impact here, so consider lighter materials if you struggle moving under the weight of this.

Getting out of bed:

• Pull the duvet off in one big movement instead of several small tugs.
• Bend your knees, bring your heels close to your bottom.
• Lift your hips to move them towards the edge of the bed, then shuffle your shoulders across to follow them.
• Roll onto your side by letting your knees drop to the edge while your far arm reaches across your body.
• Let your legs “kick off” the edge of the bed.
• Push up with your elbow and hand — gravity will help your legs fall to the floor.

Getting in to bed:

• Sit on the edge of the bed, lean onto your elbow, then lie on your side so your head is on the pillow.
• Lift your feet onto the bed (this may be the hardest bit).
• Roll onto your back and bend your knees, bringing your heels close to your bottom
• Lift your hips to move them towards the middle of the bed, then shuffle your shoulders across to follow them.

Tip: Slippery satin sheets can make sliding your hips and shoulders across the bed much easier. A bed lever can be useful if you find pushing up from lying to sitting on the edge of the bed challenging. Both are available from the Parkinson’s UK everyday living aids shop. 

Toilet & Bathroom Tips

Bathrooms are often small, which can make movement tricky in a space where lots of turning is required. 

• For freezing in small bathrooms, be sure to lift your knees high with exaggerated steps, always stepping around with lifted feet rather than swiveling to turn.
• When sitting, push your hips backwards first so you lower yourself gently to the toilet seat rather than dropping heavily
• Before standing up, shuffle to the front edge of the seat and bring your feet back (but not touching the toilet).
• If constipation is a problem, put your feet on a small stool and lean forwards.
• Practice moving your weight from one bottom cheek to the other in a chair — this helps with weight shifting for wiping.
• If you struggle getting in and out of the bath, consider a bath board, or getting in and out via kneeling, rather than trying to go directly from standing to sitting and vice versa.

Stairs

Stairs can feel intimidating, but clear strategy and safe technique make a big difference.

• Safety is paramount! Practice first on a single step if possible.
• Going up: Step with the stronger leg first, lean shoulders forwards, and think “POWER UP” to push up to the first step. If you can, step alternate legs so that both get some exercise.
• Going down: Lead with the weaker leg so the stronger one controls the descent.
• Use the handrail for safety, but when going up the stairs always try to use your legs more than arms — they’re stronger! Lean your shoulders forwards more if you find this difficult. Power on the way up, control on the way down. 

Sitting down and standing up 

We sit down and stand up time and time again through the day – from your bed, the toilet, meal times and the sofa. Getting the right technique can give you a real advantage, especially when ‘off’ or tired.

To stand up:

• • Move your bottom forward to the edge of the chair
  • Bring your feet back underneath you
  • Use your hands on the arms of the chair or seat if it helps
  • Lean the shoulders forwards
  • Power up to stand!

To sit down:

• Step close to the chair and make sure you have reached the chair and have your back to it before going to sit down – rather than falling onto it from a distance, or half way turned around
• Stick your hips out behind you, bending in the middle
• Slowly bend your knees to lower with control and to sit quietly if possible – this might take some practice!

Freezing Strategies

Freezing can feel like your feet are glued to the floor. It’s very difficult to ‘push through’ a freezing episode, and instead, neuro physiotherapists can offer strategies that help you safely find a way out of a freezing episode. Different strategies work for different people – here are a few to experiment with to find what helps you in particular situations – but a neuro physiotherapist will be able to assess you, and provide strategies personalised for your particular movement and challenges. 

• If you freeze always:
  • Stop – bring your weight back to your heels and regain control.
  • Think – plan your next move.
  • Do – use your chosen and practiced strategy to move.
• Rock side-to-side to shift weight onto one foot then the other before stepping.
• Count out loud: “1,2,1,2” or “Left, right, left, right” then step in rhythm to that.
• Tap your thigh in rhythm to cue yourself, then step in time with it.
• Use big, deliberate steps, swinging arms, and planting heels – try saying “heel” out loud for a few steps.

Dressing Made Easier

Dexterity and balance changes can make dressing slow and frustrating. Choose stretchy, loose fabrics if tighter, rigid fabrics become difficult. Small buttons can be replaced with larger ones, and trying magnetic fasteners or Velcro can be handy too.

• Sit on the bed or a chair for balance while dressing.
• Put your weaker or stiffer arm into sleeves first, then use your stronger arm to finish.
• A bra can be fastened at the front of the body before putting arms into the straps.
• Practice challenging movements without the clothes to improve your range of motion and 
• Sock/shoe tips:
  • Stretchy and slippery bamboo socks are easier to pull on and get into shoes
  • Slip-on trainers (e.g. Skechers Slip-On, Nike EasyOn or Nike GO Fly Ease) save effort.
  • Elastic laces or long-handled shoehorns reduce fiddling.

Remember: Parkinson’s slows automatic movements. Consciously making movements bigger, faster, and more exaggerated helps overcome this. Practice strategies every day, and share them with family or carer partners so they can support you in the moment.