Tips for Caregivers
... The following tips offer some guidance on how to maintain and improve your caregiving relationship: Take time for yourself. Make sure that you have time to relax-if necessary enlist the help of other ...

Caregiving: Preparing Your Home
... In taking the proper steps to become a successful caregiver, it is essential that you prepare your home for you loved one’s arrival. Likewise, if your loved one has experienced a mild stroke, or has a...

Caregiving: Recognizing Burnout
... Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that may be accompanied by a change in attitude -- from positive and caring to negative and unconcerned. Burnout can occur wh...

Planning for Incapacity: Legal Issues of Caregiving
... As a caregiver, you should begin making legal preparations soon after your loved one has been diagnosed with a serious illness. People with Alzheimer''s disease and other long-term illnesses may have ...

Caregiving: Adult Transportation
... A means of transportation is an essential ingredient in maintaining a person’s independence. It is especially important for people as they grow older. Transportation allows them to run errands, go to ...

Caregiving: Planning Daily Activities
... For a person with a disease such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, many aspects of daily life become affected. However, with careful planning and activity modification, the caregiver can help make these ...

Resources for Caregivers
... National Organizations American Health Care Association (AHCA) 1201 L St., N.W. Washington, DC 20005 (202) 842-4444 or (202) 842-3860 www.ahca.org/ Family Care America www.familycareamerica.com Family...

Parkinson''s Disease: Overview
... What is Parkinson''s disease? Parkinson''s disease is a chronic progressive neurological disease that affects a small area of nerve cells (neurons) in an area of the brain near the neck, known as the ...

Mental Disturbances Associated with Parkinson’s Disease
... What mental disturbances are associated with Parkinson’s? Certain mental disturbances—such as hallucinations, delusions and paranoia—are possible complications of Parkinson''s disease and/or its treat...

Orthostatic Hypotension and Parkinson''s
... What is orthostatic hypotension? Orthostatic hypotension is a sudden drop in blood pressure when a person moves from lying down to standing. It is not uncommon in patients with Parkinson’s disease. It...

Parkinson''s Disease and Constipation
... Constipation is one of those unpleasant topics to talk about, and often significantly affects those with Parkinson’s disease. If you''ve suffered from this problem, though, you know it can be both pai...

Swallowing Problems in People with Parkinson’s Disease
... Many patients with Parkinson’s disease have dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) because loss of control of the mouth and throat muscles may make it difficult for the patient to chew and manage solid foo...

Esstential Tremor vs Parkinson''s Disease: Q&A
... What is the difference between essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease? Both essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are movement disorders. A movement disorder can be defined as any disea...

Parkinson''s Disease: Incidence
... Identifying an accurate number of patients with Parkinson''s disease is difficult, especially in the early stages of the disease. Many people attribute the early symptoms to the "aging process&qu...

Parkinson''s Disease: Symptoms
... Early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are usually mild and generally occur gradually. Patients may have fatigue or a general sense of uneasiness. They may feel a slight tremor or have difficulty stand...

Young Onset of Parkinson''s Disease
... The average age when Parkinson''s disease (PD) is diagnosed is 60. However, about 10 percent to 20 percent of those diagnosed with PD are under age 50, and about half of these are diagnosed before age...

Exercise and Parkinson’s Disease
... Exercise benefits both the physical and psychological well-being of person’s with Parkinson’s disease. Because Parkinson’s disease affects a person’s ability to move, exercise helps to keep muscles st...

Caregiving: Respite and Adult Day Care
... No matter how efficiently and effortlessly you have adapted your life to the role of caregiver, eventually you are going to need a break. Occasional breaks are essential not only to your emotional wel...

Keys to Successful Caregiving
... Caregivers work hard to enable their loved ones to live as independently as possible and with the highest possible quality of life. But studies show that caregivers who don''t look after themselves ar...

The Role of the Caregiver
... Do you realize how much you do? You help maintain the quality of life for your spouse, parent, family or friend with Parkinson’s disease. You become educated about symptoms, treatments and the progres...

Speech Therapy for Parkinson''s Disease
... Dysarthria (difficulty speaking) and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) can be a severely limiting symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and can be helped by referral to a speech pathologist. Until recently,...

Physical & Occupational Therapy (Parkinson''s Disease)
... Physical therapyThe symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may cause you to move more slowly. You may also feel tightness, pain and weakness, especially in the muscles and joints. Physical therapy may help w...

Parkinson’s Disease Research
... Research in Parkinson’s disease has made remarkable progress. There is very real hope that the causes, whether genetic or environmental, will be identified and the precise effects of these causes on b...

Glossary of Parkinson’s Disease Terms
... Ablation Surgical destruction or removal of any part of the body. Acetylcholine A chemical messenger released by cholinergic nerves. Normally found in many parts of the body, including the brain, and ...

Parkinson’s Disease Resources
... American Parkinson Disease Association Information and Referral Center The Cleveland Clinic Foundation - Desk S10 9500 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, Ohio 44195 Telephone: (216) 445-8480 Fax ((216) 636-2018 T...

Glossary of Parkinson’s Disease Terms
... Acetylcholine A chemical messenger released by cholinergic nerves. Normally in many parts of the body, including the brain, and necessary to normal body functioning. Medications that block the action ...

At Home With Parkinson’s: Adapting Your Environment
... Because activities of daily living (ADL’s) — including leisure activities — can cause fatigue much quicker and mobility can be decreased in people with Parkinson’s disease, it’s important to modify ac...

Preventing Falls & Maintaining Balance
... Falls are not an infrequent complication of Parkinson’s disease. While there are many things that you can do to reduce your risks for falls, the two most important things are 1) work with your physici...

Parkinson''s Disease and Traveling
... Traveling should be an enjoyable experience and should not be limited or avoided because of Parkinson’s disease. But remember the importance of planning ahead! The following guidelines should help to ...

Parkinson''s: Deep Brain Stimulation (Q&A)
... What is Deep Brain Stimulation?Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a treatment for Parkinson’s disease that uses a surgically implanted medical device, similar to a pacemaker, to deliver electrical stimul...

What to Expect After Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
... As with any surgery, there are some guidelines and limitations that you should follow after deep brain stimulation (DBS). Be sure to discuss these with your doctor and ask questions before surgery. Un...

Counseling and Parkinson’s Disease
... Parkinson’s disease, as with many chronic illnesses, will affect you both physically and mentally. It is important to realize that you are not alone, and that if you feel you need help coping you shou...

Depression and it''s Role in Parkinson’s Disease
... What is depression? Depression is a medical illness. Specifically, depression is a mood disorder caused by a chemical imbalance. The term "mood" refers to an emotional state that affects how...

Guided Imagery and Relaxation
... What is guided imagery? Guided imagery is a proven form of focused relaxation that helps create harmony between the mind and body. Guided imagery coaches you in creating calm, peaceful images in your ...

Gamma Knife Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease
... Some people are not able to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery to alleviate their Parkinson’s disease symptoms. For example, some people taking anti-coagulant medicines (blood-thinners) cannot go ...

Living Well with Parkinson’s Disease
... To keep yourself active and independent, you will probably need drug and/or surgical therapy, supportive treatments, and physical therapy or counseling. Recognizing the support of your family and frie...

Myoclonus
... What is myoclonus? Myoclonus describes a symptom and generally is not a diagnosis of a disease. It refers to sudden, involuntary jerking of a muscle or group of muscles. Myoclonic twitches or jerks us...

Parkinson''s: Body Mechanics (Q&A)
... What are some ways to improve body mechanics with Parkinson’s disease? Sitting and standing When standing from a seated position, here are some tips: Bend slowly at the waist and lean forward. Slide t...

Parkinson''s Disease Treatment
... Unfortunately, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease; however, it can be managed and the symptoms of the disease can be relieved or reduced. Treating Parkinson’s disease is often a "team effor...

Parkinson''s Disease: Is There a Cure?
... Is there a cure for Parkinson''s disease? Although research is ongoing, to date there is no know cure or preventative measure for Parkinson''s disease. It is important to realize that the patient''s a...

Planning Daily Activities for People with Parkinson’s Disease
... Parkinson’s disease can affect many aspects of a patient’s daily life. However, with careful planning and activity modification, these effects can become much less stressful and intrusive. The followi...

Vitamin E''s Role in Parkinson''s Disease
... Some experts have suggested that 800 IU to 1,200 IU per day of vitamin E can help alleviate some symptoms. However, recent studies have shown that vitamin E does not delay the progression of Parkinson...

Parkinson’s Disease: Causes
... What are the causes of Parkinson’s Disease?Parkinson’s disease is caused by the progressive impairment or deterioration of neurons (nerve cells) in an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra. ...

Parkinson''s Disease: A Difficult Diagnosis
... Diagnosing Parkinson''s disease is often difficult, especially in its early stages. It is estimated that nearly 40 percent of patients may not be diagnosed, and as many as 25 percent are misdiagnosed....

Financial Planning for Caregivers
... As a caregiver, you will need to evaluate the long-term care needs of your loved one. In making this evaluation, it is important to consider financial options. Long-term financial planning is importan...

Day to Day: Sleep Problems And Parkinson’s Disease
... Those who suffer from Parkinson’s disease usually are left to deal with a range of symptoms that can make day-to-day tasks difficult. Among these, sleep, one of our most basic needs, can be disrupted ...

Nutrition and Parkinson''s Disease
... While there is no research that any specific vitamin, mineral or other nutrient has therapeutic value in preventing or curing Parkinson’s disease, eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet is extremely ...

Overview
... Parkinson''s disease is a disorder that affects nerve cells (neurons) in the part of the brain controlling muscle movement. People with Parkinson''s often experience trembling, muscle rigidity, diffic...

Overview
... Parkinson''s disease is a disorder that affects nerve cells (neurons) in the part of the brain controlling muscle movement. People with Parkinson''s often experience trembling, muscle rigidity, diffic...

Overview
... Parkinson''s disease is a disorder that affects nerve cells (neurons) in the part of the brain controlling muscle movement. People with Parkinson''s often experience trembling, muscle rigidity, diffic...

Overview
... Parkinson''s disease is a disorder that affects nerve cells (neurons) in the part of the brain controlling muscle movement. People with Parkinson''s often experience trembling, muscle rigidity, diffic...

Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson''s Disease Information Page
... Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure used to treat a variety of disabling neurological symptoms-most commonly the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), such as tremor,...

Parkinson''s Disease Information Page
... Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by damaged or dead dopamine-neurons in the substantia nigra, a region of the brain that controls balance and coordinat...

Parkinson''s Disease: Hope Through Research
... Parkinson's disease may be one of the most baffling and complex of the neurological disorders. Its cause remains a mystery but research in this area is active, with new and intriguing findings con...

Depression and Parkinson''s Disease
... Symptoms of Depression Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activitie...

Genes and Disease: Parkinson disease
... Parkinson disease, first described by James Parkinson in 1817, is a growing national problem, with more than half a million Americans affected at any one time. Most people are over 50 years old when t...

Major New Finding on Genetics of Parkinson''s Disease Zeroes In on Activity of Alpha Synuclein
... Scientists investigating a rare familial form of early-onset Parkinson's disease have discovered that too much of a normal form of the α-synuclein gene may cause Parkinson's disease. The...

Yeast Model Yields Insights Into Parkinson’s Disease
... Scientists who developed the first yeast model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been able to describe the mechanisms of an important gene’s role in the disease. Tiago Fleming Outeiro, Ph.D., and Susan...

Parkinson disease
... Parkinson disease is a progressive disorder of the central nervous system. The disorder affects several regions of the brain, including an area called the substantia nigra that controls balance and mo...