How Right at Home Barnet & Edgware can help your loved one living with Parkinson’s

What is Parkinson’s disease?

• Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition. This means it causes problems in the brain and gets worse and worse over time (source: Parkinson’s UK). Over time, the brain is unable to control certain functions such as body movements
• 1 in 500 people are affected (source: NHS)
• Most people start to develop symptoms when over the age of 50 (source: NHS)
• It is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world (source: Parkinson’s UK)

Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

There are three main symptoms to look out for, and we would always recommend seeing your GP as soon as possible if you are worried about yourself or a loved one.

• Tremor/ shaking
• Slow movement
• Stiff and inflexible muscles

Other symptoms may include:

• Pain
• Sleeping problems
• Memory loss
• Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression

What to remember when caring a loved one living with Parkinson’s disease

Learn more about the condition to provide the best support you can that way you'll understand what changes to expect in your loved one's behaviour or symptoms and how you can best help when those changes occur.

Caring for a loved one can be daunting, you need to make sure you have time to relax. If necessary, enlist the help of other family members or even hire someone to assist you in providing care.

Keep regular appointments with your doctor

It can be difficult to find the correct dosage and combination of medication because the condition is so different in each person, so a good relationship with your GP is vital.

Managing Parkinson’s is about more than medication

Doing 2.5 hours of exercise per week can slow symptoms of Parkinson’s. Another way of managing Parkinson’s is Maintaining a healthy balanced diet.

Make sure they maintain activities they enjoy as this looks after their mental health.

Emotional Support is just as important as managing physical symptoms

It’s not uncommon for Parkinson’s to have an impact on mental and emotional health, as anxiety and depression can go hand in hand with memory loss or insomnia. 

Providing emotional support for a loved one living with mental health problems can be difficult, and you can find more advice through the NHS.

Find someone you can talk to

Discover a local support group for other people caring for people with Parkinson’s who understand what you’re going through and can offer advice to help you further. Speak to Right at Home to find out how our CareGivers can alleviate some of the pressure.

 Look after yourself

Caring for your loved one is a full-time responsibility and there are often no breaks in between.  Time off can help you rest and reconnect with friends and family while a respite carer supports your loved one. Speak to your GP to find out about the respite care services available in your local area.