How to Help a Loved One that has Parkinson’s

When someone you love is diagnosed with Parkinson’s it’s hard to know what to do to help them. You can’t take away their disease; all you can do is help them fight it as long as they can. It’s important that you stay positive and help your loved one as the disease starts to progress so that they can stay as healthy and functional as possible for as long as possible. Here are some other things that you can do to help a loved one with Parkinson’s, especially as the disease progresses:

Help them mange their symptoms – Keeping track of the symptoms that your loved one is experiencing like making a note of how frequently they have tremors or other problems, or documenting tasks that are becoming difficult for them or when they get tired can be very helpful for your loved one’s doctor. Having a record of the symptoms that your loved one has and how often he or she is having problems can give your loved ones doctor information about how quickly the disease is progressing and whether or not treatments are having any effect. Help your loved one by asking them about their symptoms, helping them keep a journal of their symptoms, and noticing any changes in their behavior or routine. For example, if you notice that your loved one is starting to not comb his or her hair or the house is unkempt when it’s usually spotless ask if he or she is having trouble doing those things.

Talk about their household affairs early – No one wants to talk about things like funeral arrangements, insurance, where all the banking information is kept and other sensitive topics but since dementia is one of the possible effects that come with late stage Parkinson’s it’s important that you talk to your loved one about his or her wishes and personal affairs. Find out where all their financial and important papers are kept. Draw up plans for a funeral or memorial service so that your loved one can have some input and make his or her wishes known before it’s too late.

Research care facilities – It’s another unpleasant thing to think about but the time might come when your loved one needs trained, professional caregivers 24 hours a day in order to be safe. Start researching care facilities that specialize in helping people with Parkinson’s so that if your loved one reaches that point you know what care facility your loved one would prefer. It can take some time to find a highly reputable care facility, especially if you’re on a tight budget, so the earlier you start looking the better off you and your loved one will be.

Discussing topics like funeral arrangements and long term care facilities can be very uncomfortable for you and your loved one, but open and honest communication now is the best way to make sure that your loved one’s wishes are honored later on. Helping your loved one take care of these issues early on, before the disease progresses, is really the best thing you can do to help him or her.

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