MSA Trust

Socialising

Do you enjoy meeting friends, attending worship, going out for a meal or attending entertainment events? Do you feel you are facing restrictions on these because you have MSA?

These sort of activities help us feel well and keep our mood positive. It is easy to let MSA take these away from you, especially if you feel your mobility, speech or co-ordination make you feel self-conscious and reluctant to continue such activities.

Some top tips to regain control:

  • Be honest with your close network of friends about how MSA affects you and your particular needs, for example, to be near the toilet in a restaurant.
  • Be brave enough to allow family or friends to push you in a wheelchair, for example to get to a football match and not worry about being jostled. (An added bonus here is they may get into the event for free or a reduced rate!)
  • If you like to go out to eat and walking across the carpeted floor is more difficult, or your speech and balance make people think you are inebriated, use a wheelchair. This saves you having to transfer to a seat you may find difficult to get out of and because most venues have to be wheelchair accessible it means you can feel able to get from one room to another more easily. You might like to check with the venue beforehand to get the position in the place that most suits you.
  • Also if you use adapted cups, utensils or straws don’t forget to bring these with you.
  • Be brave enough to try and not give up, and if something does not go as well as you hoped think about why and talk to our MSA Health Care Specialists to see if they can suggest ways to make it a better experience next time.