The Grizzly Old Veteran – Stage 4

The Grizzly Old Veteran – Stage 4

Who am I at this point, and just what worth and function do I play?  How has our care program been transformed, and how has care changed? You’ve been doing this for a long time, as it seems like a lifetime, and, on occasion, actual dates and occurrences run...
The Everyday Starter, Team Player – Stage 3

The Everyday Starter, Team Player – Stage 3

Exactly what will now be my roles and tasks, as well as the training required? You have already been with this for some time, years, in fact, as much as 10 or more. Your participation is most likely daily, if not otherwise continuous. Your care recipient may well...
The Rookie – Stage 2

The Rookie – Stage 2

You start to question, “Who am I”? Where do I fit on this team? It has been 6-18 months or a few years of taking care of a PD recipient, and also the realization starts to occur that this will probably be your existence for many years. Errands, paying bills, and the...
Caregiver – My experience

Caregiver – My experience

In late January 1997, my mother called me at 7 a.m. on a Thursday morning saying I had to come home as she and my father couldn’t take care of themselves. I lived outside Atlanta then and caught a flight Friday morning to Tampa, then a car to central Florida.  My...
Caregiver – Emotional stress

Caregiver – Emotional stress

Being a care partner to someone with Parkinson’s, chances are you will encounter conflicting emotions and thoughts.  Any of these emotions can undoubtedly have a significant consequence on a person’s emotional well-being, and symptoms of depression are not uncommon. ...