Whether you take part in celebrating Valentine’s Day or not, it has become a significant cultural and commercial celebration in Australia.
Choccies in a heart shaped box, a bunch of long stem roses, cards with pictures of cute fluffy animals and love hearts on the front are all par for the cause. Visit any shopping mall or turn on the TV and you’ll see ads for expensive jewelry, romantic holidays and gifts to give to your partner as a symbol of your love and affection.
As commercial and unnecessary as it may seem to some of us, Valentine’s Day is a good reminder of the importance of intimacy and romance for everyone, including people who are living with MND. The connections we have with our partners are incredibly important to our quality of life, sense of self and emotional wellbeing.
Maintaining an intimate and sexual relationship can be difficult for a person with MND and it is an area that is not often discussed. This is why, in the spirit of Valentine's Day, we are calling February the month of love and sharing with you the Sexuality and Intimacy page of the MND Connect website.
The page is a great starting point to read about how MND can impact relationships and where to get support. It also has some conversation starters if you feel you’ve been lost for words and not sure how to bring up sex and intimacy with your health professional team.
Be assured, with a bit of creativity and a willingness to give it a go, most barriers to intimacy and sex that MND present can be overcome.