Personal Wellbeing

Emotional health and self-care skills are important to quality of life and personal wellbeing. You can find useful resources under the headings below:

• Parkinson’s and self-care
• General emotional health
• Health management courses
• Resilience and coping skills
• Social groups & lifelong learning

Parkinson’s and self-care
Self-care is a very important part of coping with an illness like Parkinson’s. While keeping physically active and healthy is essential, emotional self-care is equally important.

Resources to enhance emotional wellbeing and self-care are provided under the following headings.

General emotional health
Useful information on emotional health is provided in the following links.

• Seniors.gov.au – Emotional Health
• Seniors Information Service – Health and wellbeing

Health management courses
There are many changes to adapt to when you develop a chronic illness. Faced with this array of challenges, it can be easy to feel helpless and ‘give up’. However, research shows that people who actively manage their illness feel happier and more in control (Arthritis Victoria – Self Management).

There is emerging recognition that active self-management is important to help you optimise the quality of your life. It can also help you get the most out of your multidisciplinary treatment.

You can enhance your ability to self-manage by:

• Reading articles, such as: Improving Self-Management, page 8, in the Signpost Autumn 2009 magazine and Depression and self-management
• Talking to your health professionals or Parkinson’s Victoria - 1800 189 644
• Attending programs such as Parkinson’s disease education groups or general health management courses.

You may also find the other options listed below useful.

Resilience and coping skills
A range of programs focused on wellbeing can help you improve your resilience and learn to cope better with stress. Different options include anxiety management, meditation, relaxation, yoga & mood enhancement.

Programs may be available through:

• Local councils & Community Health Centres
• Neighbourhood houses & learning centres
• Specialist organisations such as the Anxiety Recovery Centre
• Private clinics - call Parkinson's Victoria for details of Parkinson's specialist practitioners.
• You can find others by searching Better Health Channel , Blue Pages – Treatments, or yellowpages.

Please note:If you are worried about anxiety or depression:

• Talk to your neurologist and GP
• Browse our anxiety and depression resources as well as our counselling and support section.

Social groups & lifelong learning
Staying connected to social support and engaged in learning are important for wellbeing.

Find out more in our social support section.