Advice for caregivers

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Advice for caregivers

Parkinson's disease does not affect just one person - family and friends all have to 'live' with Parkinson's too.

A caregiver is someone - partner, spouse, friend or adult child - who lives with, regularly helps or looks after a person with Parkinson's disease, but not as a paid job.

Just because you are a partner or relative of some body with Parkinson's does not always mean that you will necessarily be their caregiver.


Being a caregiver can be physically and emotionally challenging so you should notfeel guilty if you are unable to take on this role. As an alternative, it may be worth considering using voluntary or paid help.

You may want to find out more about making your home a more comfortable environment for the patient.

How can I support my relative or friend with Parkinson's disease?

Ideally, try and take an active rather than a passive role in Parkinson's. Work with the person you are caring for to learn all about the condition - its causes, symptoms and treatments. The more you understand, the easier it will be to work through day-to-day problems.

In your role as caregiver you are a central part of the health care team ensuring that the person with Parkinson's can receive the best treatment possible.

To find out more about Parkinson's you may find it useful to investigate other areas of this website.

Other good information sources include Parkinson's disease society magazines, books, news articles, websites and local patient organizations.

Try to find the most knowledgeable and experienced physicians and health professionals in your community - people with a real interest in Parkinson's disease.

It is important that the person with Parkinson's disease visits their doctor regularly for check ups.

Whenever possible, go with them so that you can discuss any symptoms, observations or concerns that you may have with their doctor Physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dietitians, speech and language therapists and social workers are just a few of the people who can help you with the many aspects of providing care for someone with Parkinson's.