New, free Parkinson’s card game aims to help couples rekindle intimacy
APDA launches 'ParkinSex: The Game' for those affected by disease's symptoms
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- Parkinson's disease can cause intimacy issues for couples due to symptoms like fatigue and rigidity.
- The American Parkinson Disease Association has launched ParkinSex: The Game to help overcome such challenges.
- The free card game is designed to aid couples affected by Parkinson's in rekindling intimacy and connection.
The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) has launched a card game, called ParkinSex: The Game, to help people with Parkinson’s disease and their partners overcome challenges with physical and emotional intimacy that may be caused by the condition’s symptoms.
The game can be ordered at the organization’s website and is available at no cost to the Parkinson’s community; quantities are limited, however. The original ParkinSex kit and booklet are also still available. The webpage notes that “this guide will arrive in discreet packaging.”
“There was a lack of useful resources to help people deal with this significant shift in their relationship, and that’s what drove us to create the original ParkinSex kit, and now the companion ParkinSex card game,” Rosa Peña, senior vice president of programs and services of APDA, said in a press release announcing its launch.
“We hope these special tools help people with [Parkinson’s] rekindle that special connection and find ways to revive intimacy in new ways — whatever that may mean for them — in a low-pressure way,” Peña added.
People with Parkinson’s disease may experience sexual and intimacy difficulties, mainly due to disease symptoms such as fatigue, rigidity, movement issues, and mood issues. Such problems can make it difficult for partners to sustain a healthy relationship, and they may grow physically and emotionally apart, the APDA noted.
‘Low-pressure’ game aims to help with Parkinson’s intimacy issues
To help couples affected by Parkinson’s reconnect and rebuild intimacy, the APDA launched the ParkinSex kit, which includes stimulating items such as massage oil, a candle, or a feather, along with a book with suggestions to reinforce physical contact and help couples discover what makes them feel good and connected.
“Parkinson’s disease can make it difficult for partners to sustain a healthy relationship. They may grow apart physically and emotionally – and symptoms can reinforce the growing distance. But there is one thing that we know can help couples reconnect: intimacy,” the website states.
Building on the success of the original kit, APDA has now developed the card game. ParkinSex resources were created with input from couples affected by Parkinson’s, a clinical sexologist, other health professionals, and the support and creative expertise of Havas Lynx New York, a healthcare communications agency.
The game guides patients through playful activities, encourages conversation and connection, and helps partners explore intimacy in comfortable, meaningful ways. Each card includes a common item, such as a candle, blindfold, or bubble bath, and a matching instruction, such as “Light a candle to set the mood and share some together time.”
The game aims to provide a simple, fun way to spend time together, with instructions for play and a video tutorial. Players can also create their own rules. The items on the cards are part of the ParkinSex kit, but are also common household items, so the game may be played by people who do not have the kit.
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