I have lived alone since my official dx in 1994 and three years before my first noted motor symptom in 1988. I don't require a carepartner, but there are times when it would be nice to have someone here.

After all these years it is not easy. I have begun to need someone to go with me to MDS appointments, but there is no one. I would like someone who can communicate better than I can and would share their personal observations of me. My oldest daughter, whose home I am in several times a week, lives only 10 miles from me, but she feels her plate is too full with an autistic son and doesn't want to become involved with my PD.

I think the emotional and physical living alone with PD is the hardest. Cleaning the bathroom and other household duties are hard and don't get done as often as they should...like once every three or four months for the bathtub. I have found a way to sort of clean the tub without getting on my knees. Spray the surface with Dow bubbles...then use a sponge on a stick to clean the surfaces...not the best way and doesn't get it super clean, but it does the job somewhat. My dust-bunnies collect until I know someone is coming into my home, only then do I vacuum them up.

And driving...I am not too bad to continue to drive...but these days are numbered. (Well, if you count the days until I become unsafe. But even then, can I hide my PD driving issues...hummm...and continue to drive...another thread for someone to start...DRIVING....yes or no.)

Traveling alone is very hard, especially airports. Not all airports have those electric carts, Baltimore is one and it is my home-base airport, and I have not given into using a wheelchair. The train isn't too bad and I can still do okay in the train stations. The rushing around of the folks around me...don't care for that...the rush to get onto the train. Depending on the time of the day, there may not be a seat by the time I get to there.


Here in Gettysburg we have many of the old "motor courts." The ones in town have been bought up by Gettysburg College and converted into Dorms for students. The ones scattered outside of town are still in use...mostly weekly and monthly rentals.