In the third part of our series focusing on sexuality and Parkinson’s, sex therapist Gila Bronner and nurse consultant Orna Moore offer an insight into the challenges faced by caregivers – and tips on maintaining intimacy post-diagnosis
Sexual problems can have varied impacts on couples living with Parkinson’s. People may experience frustration, unhappiness, a reduction in self-esteem and difficulty with functioning socially and professionally. All of this can make it difficult for couples to retain intimacy and closeness.
While some couples easily accept the limitation – or cessation – of sexual activity caused by such a chronic illness, for others making a few small changes can avert significant emotional crisis.
Under these complicated circumstances, spouses and care-partners frequently face contradictory roles. On one hand, as intimate partners, they may have their own feelings about, and needs for, intimacy and sexual activity. On the other hand, they are required to function as caregivers who cope with the implications of a chronic progressive illness.
These obligatory tasks can be expressed with feelings of frustration, depression, fatigue, and a sense of loss. The build-up of these unresolved issues can contribute to undesirable characteristics within the relationship.
Caregiving tasks can demand a lot of time, attention and energy. As a result, couples dealing with Parkinson’s may spend too much time together. All healthy relationships require some space and distance, which means that each couple needs to allocate time for separate activities in their weekly schedule to do things they enjoy – such as exercising, meeting friends or going to the cinema. These separate experiences will enrich the relationship, create some much-needed space and promote better sexual closeness.
