Recommendations for Family Members

(Parkinson's Western Australia)

The support of friends and family is necessary from someone who is suffering from Parkinson's Disease. The patient may need support in many different ways including assistance with their daily activities, emotional support, and an accompaniment at their doctor's appointments. If you are accompanying your loved one to their doctors appointments, please read my blog post on how to make the most out of your doctor's visit before you attend their appointment. As your loved one progresses through the stages of Parkinson's disease, they may need your live in support or help making their living quarters safe for them.

Your loved one may have challenges with completing their daily activities as well as trouble controlling their emotions. As a close family member or friend, it is important for you to be there to give them the support that they need during this challenging time. In addition to being there for your loved one who suffers from Parkinson's, it may also be helpful to find them a support group of people who are going through similar situations. A good resource to find these support groups would be their doctor. You or your friend who is suffering could as benefit from counseling from a psychologist who is used to working with people who have chronic conditions.

As I mentioned previously, your loved one will need your help emotionally as well as physically as their condition progresses. Physically they might need help getting around and completing tasks such as eating or getting dressed. You should also prepare their living safe to be safe for them by making it easier to get around by moving objects out of walkways, having emergency numbers readily available, and having a phone located where it is always accessible to them.

References

Parkinson's disease. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2016, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/basics/definition/con-20028488 

Parkinson's Disease Center: Symptoms, Treatments, Causes, Tests, Diagnosis, and Prognosis. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2016, from http://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-disease/

Parkinson's Western Australia (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2016, from http://www.parkinsonswa.org.au/sites/4ed4977a50ee8549b700296d/assets/4f276fb950ee854f15002783/yanapeople_large.png