Navigating Parkinson's for the Caregiving

11/04/2012

Education & Awareness
-Learn about the disease in Parkinson's Facts. Understanding what is happening and what to expect is half the battle.
-Understand what treatments are available.
-Ask about the most common side effects and what to do about them.
-Learn how Parkinson's changes over time. The key is not to get so caught up in the symptoms that you are overwhelmed, but to think about ways that you can change how you do things to reduce of delay any problems down the road.

Assemble Your Team
-Who will you go to in times of stress or for support- Friends, family, counselor, neighbor, clergy, support group members.
-Your medical team is more than your doctor. Review the specialists that are available to you.
-Understand how rehabilitation can help and when you should ask for it.

Organization
-Keeping track of the medical treatments, appointments and results can be time consuming. Keep items in one place such as a notebook. See Every Victory Counts at www.everyvictorycounts.org a care book designed for just this purpose. Alternatively, get a simple 3 ring binder to store your information, questions, medication lists.

-Be Prepared and My Medical Chart, has forms to help with this task, Print these forms and use these tools for your benefit and to organize information related to your medical care.

Author: Monique Giroux, MD

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