Parkinson disease

Introduction: Approximately 88% of men and 79% of women with Parkinson's disease (PD) identify an informal caregiver. Although caregivers can play a key role in supporting patients, little is known about how and whether PD patients with and without caregivers differ in terms of physical, cognitive, and mood outcomes. This study explored whether caregiver presence was associated with variations in patient presentation and outcomes in a palliative PD and atypical PD population.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) require support from family caregivers because of decreased functional levels in a later stage. Much of the research with PD caregivers has been limited by relatively homogenous samples of primarily White and largely spousal caregivers. METHODS: This secondary analysis aimed to describe a national sample of caregivers of individuals with PD in the Caregiving in the U.S. 2015 data set and their activities, including activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental ADLs (IADLs), and key activities they performed for individuals with PD.

Background: In the United Kingdom, people with Parkinson disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonism will require more support with their care needs as the condition progresses.

A review of the literature highlights the important role informal carers play in the provision of palliative care in the community. In order to explore the caring experience of relatives with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), interviews were conducted with 26 informal family caregivers. Interviews were taped, transcribed and subjected to content analysis. All caregivers were spouses, the majority female (n = 17) and all were responsible for providing physical, social and emotional care in the home.

Aim.  To throw light on the lived experiences of female partners of patients with Parkinson disease living at home.

Background.  It is known that daily life with a partner with Parkinson’s disease entails radical upheaval in the family, in particular for the female partner.

Methodology.  A phenomenological hermeneutic approach was used. Interviews with female partners (N = 10) of patients with Parkinson disease who were living at home were conducted in Denmark in 2008. The French philosopher Ricoeur’s theory of interpretation guided the data analysis.