National Parkinsons Foundation Video Resource Campaign
CareMAP | Managing Advanced Parkinson's Disease
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to taking care of someone with PD. It is a journey. The purpose of this site is to provide practical suggestions for coping with the complex problems that arise as a result of advancing Parkinson’s disease. CareMAP is your guide to Managing Advanced Parkinson’s.
If you care for someone who has Parkinson’s disease (PD), you are not alone. In the United States, 50,000-60,000 new cases of PD are diagnosed each year, adding to the one million people currently living with PD. Worldwide, about four to six million people have the condition. And many of them receive care from a spouse, adult child, sibling, partner or friend. It is estimated that there are 25 million family caregivers in the US: One in four American households includes an adult providing care for someone over 50 years old.
Living with Parkinson’s is a daily challenge. The incidence and severity of PD symptoms vary from day to day, even from one time of day to another. As a caregiver, it takes skill and patience to know when to assist with a task and when to simply allow the person more time to do the task independently.
Every person affected by the disease – both patients and their care partners – experiences it in a unique way. As a caregiver, you have rights and responsibilities to make the care partnership most productive with the least amount of stress and conflict. Preparation is key in all respects: emotional, financial and physical.