How is it Thanksgiving week already? Whether you’ve been counting the days until your holiday celebrations, or you’re taken by surprise when you realize that Thanksgiving is just days away, the holiday season can bring up a lot of varied emotions. Some feel fun and festive all season long while others feel stressed and sad – and many of us fall somewhere in between.

We invite you to look at the holidays as a unique opportunity to reflect on and appreciate the good and special things in our lives, despite the challenges we may face. Life with Parkinson’s disease (PD) can be tough, and many are dealing with other issues and concerns as well. But perhaps by leaning into the spirit of thankfulness we can find moments of joy, and by supporting one another as we navigate the often tricky balance between holiday cheer and managing our health and emotions we can celebrate a season filled with gratitude, wellness, and the shared strength that can come from facing life's challenges together.

To help set yourself up for happy holidays, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

• Keep moving. Exercise and movement can help both your body and mind feel good. APDA offers many online classes you can join from wherever you are -- or get outside for a walk if you can.
• Sing yourself happy! Join us on November 22 for Sing Loud for PD – a free online singing class that can help strengthen your voice and also lift your spirits. No singing talent required.
• Take time for yourself. It’s not always easy to carve out time for yourself at this time of year, but it is important to take care of yourself – whether it’s to have a cup of coffee with a friend, or just have some quiet alone if things are feeling too frenzied.
• Accept help. If friends or family offer help, say ‘yes’ and give them something specific to do (i.e., help with holiday shopping, bring a dish to Thanksgiving, run an errand, or maybe just lend an ear if you’re having a hard time.)
• Find support. Some support groups take a break around the holidays, but that doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. You can join an online community like Smart Patients – a discussion forum for people with PD and their loved ones where you can share help, advice, and information.

And as we enter this holiday season, please know how truly thankful we are for all of you who support our work* and help keep our programs and services going all year round. We couldn’t do it without you.