Parkinson's, Love, and Making Room for the Hard Stuff

Parkinson's, Love, and Making Room for the Hard Stuff

From The Parkinson's Podcast by Davis Phinney Foundation

March 16, 2026 · 38 min · Season 7 · Episode 4

About this episode

Kat and her husband Ken discuss the realities of living with Parkinson's, focusing on planning, communication, and partnership with the disease.

Learn more about Parkinson's and find support: https://dpf.org In this episode, Kat's husband Ken joins the panel to talk through the realities of planning ahead, from living trusts and hard family conversations to knowing when your plan needs to change. The conversation also takes on the language of "fighting" Parkinson's, and why both Kat and Ken have moved toward something more like partnership with the disease than battle. Along the way, the panel gets into the tension between independence and asking for help, and what honest communication actually looks like in a relationship shaped by chronic illness. Sign up for updates on webinars, events, and resources for the Parkinson's community: https://dpf.org/newsletter-signup Learn more about the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinsons's: https://dpf.org Season 7 Episode 4

People in this episode

Guests: Kat, Ken

Topics covered

  • Parkinson's disease
  • chronic illness
  • family planning
  • communication
  • support
  • independence

Keywords

  • Parkinson's
  • chronic illness
  • family conversations
  • support
  • independence
  • communication

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Davis Phinney Foundation, Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson's, dpf.org

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