Caring for someone with Parkinson’s disease: changing days at home

Caring for someone with Parkinson’s disease often requires going with the flow of good days and bad days. That can ask a lot of you, especially as the care gradually becomes more demanding. You then keep trying to figure out what is and is not possible today.

How do you keep medications, appointments, and regular tasks manageable?

With Parkinson’s, tasks often gradually shift along. You think along with appointments and medication, and later you help more and more around the house. That can cause unrest when days differ.

Keep regular things as simple as possible. Put medications and appointments together in one overview. Also agree who does which task. That helps you have to remember less on busy days.

If things at home become more demanding, you do not have to do everything yourself. Bring in professional help or a volunteer in time. At the national Parkinson’s association, you can go as a partner or informal caregiver for information, peer contact, and meetings. There are also programs that help you stay balanced and combine caregiving with work.

How do you prevent yourself from becoming too burdened?

Caring can become heavy, especially if you do it for a long time. Pay attention to tiredness, poor sleep, feeling down, or the feeling that you are in this alone. Those are signs that it is becoming too much.

Share the care with others. Ask for replacement care in time, so you can catch your breath. At Mantelzorg Zoetermeer you can get advice and support. If you notice that you are becoming overburdened, discuss that with your GP.

Do not wait until it really becomes too much.

What else can you do if you need more support?

If the care continues to increase, look more broadly at help. Ask the treatment team to also discuss with partners, children, and other important loved ones what they are experiencing and what they need. Clearly set out which tasks you carry and where your limit is.

Peer contact or guidance with knowledge of Huntington can help with questions about relationships, parenting, grief, and planning for the future. For support in your own role, you can also turn to Mantelzorg Zoetermeer. If you care for an older loved one without one clear diagnosis, Regelhulp can help by care topic to keep an overview of what is available and how to apply for it.

What can you do next?

Choose one fixed starting point. That can be an overview of medications and appointments, or sharing the care with someone else. By fixing one thing, the rest often becomes clearer too.

If the care grows further, look again at what you can still carry. Then bring in help earlier, such as professional help or a volunteer. At Mantelzorg Zoetermeer you can get advice and support, and at the national Parkinson’s association you can find information, peer contact, and meetings.