Care Resources for Parkinson’s
Taking care of a loved one with Parkinson’s is hard work. It can be challenging, exhausting, and frustrating. But remember, you are not alone. There are many great organizations that can give you advice and direct you to an organization to assist with providing care, finding a therapy program, and connecting to a trusted caregiver.
Taking care of a loved one with Parkinson’s is hard work. It can be challenging, exhausting, and frustrating. But remember, you are not alone. There are many great organizations that can give you advice and direct you to an organization to assist with providing care, finding a therapy program, and connecting to a trusted caregiver.
Caregivers are considered the second patient, this is a list of caregiver symptoms:
- Mental exhaustion
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Self-care neglect
- Mindfulness
- Feeling angry
- Financial difficulties
- Difficulty solving problemsMental exhaustion
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Self-care neglect
- Mindfulness
- Feeling angry
- Financial difficulties
- Difficulty solving problems
- Lack of coping skills
- Lack of choice in being a caregiver
- Finding a Caregiver
- Families facing caring for a loved one with Parkinson’s should not have to go it alone. However, the families face many challenges in selecting the right caregiver. Here are some links to organizations that help Parkinson’s caregivers.
- Help for Caregivers
- Because Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disease that worsens as it progresses, many caregivers are often worn out or exhausted from helping those in their care. As a result, providing much-needed independent care and supporting caregivers is a vital component of Parkinson’s treatment. Here are some links to help caregivers.
- Caregiver Training Videos
- Tremor
- Small handwriting
- Loss of smell
- Trouble Sleeping
- Trouble moving or walking
- Constipation
- A soft or low voice
- “Masked” face
- Dizziness or fainting
- Stoop or hunched over
- The Alliance for Aging
- Speech Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Help for Veteran’s with Parkinson’s
- Because military veterans face a greater risk of getting Parkinson’s disease the Department of Veterans’ Affairs created PADRECCs (the Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center network. Since 2001, the organization has assisted vets and their families in coping with Parkinson’s disease.
- Can We Improve Function?
Care partners play an invaluable role in their loved one’s journey with Parkinson disease, helping to preform everyday tasks, visit doctors, administer medication, and so much more. Our community knows this can sometimes be challenging and that care partners don’t always receive the support they need.
This week, the president took action to address this by signing the RAISE Family Caregivers Act into law. The bill directs the government to create a national strategy to better support the estimated 40 million care partners across the country. Among other things, it aims to provide caregivers with more education, respite care services and resources to navigate working while helping a loved one manage their disease.
All year long, you had the ear of senators and representatives on this issue. RAISE was a major focus of lawmaker meetings during the 2017 Parkinson’s Policy Forum. Advocates asked members to vote for the bill, explaining the importance of appropriate training and services for care partners. After the event concluded, Forum attendees continued to keep in touch with their lawmakers and push for RAISE’s passage. Additional members of the Parkinson’s community joined these efforts in November, sending emails to their representatives as the bill came under consideration in the House. Thank you to every individual who spoke out for Parkinson’s care partners throughout the past year.
