Parkinson's Disease Living with Parkinson's Disease

Caregiving Can Come With A Price

Summary & Participants

There are many physical and emotional demands in caring for an older family member that need to be recognized and addressed.

Medically Reviewed On: August 01, 2008

Webcast Transcript

Julie, Caregiver : My mother's 99 and 9/12th’s. For me to, you know, move into this whole sphere of taking care of her has really been very hard

ANNOUNCER: While Julie’s mother doesn’t live in her home, Julie is still responsible for her care and the pressures that can bring.

Julie, Caregiver : for several nights she became really seriously paranoid, was taking her cane and knocking on the wall of her room, waking the neighbor, going out in the hall, screaming. And at that point I was just beside myself, phoning whoever was on duty that night and saying, "I don't know what to do."

ANNOUNCER: Dr. Anna Loengard has seen caregiver stress like this many times before and knows the signs.

Anna Loengard, MD: feelings of being overwhelmed, feeling -- being depressed, not eating well, not sleeping well, being short-tempered, feeling very frustrated and, you know, perhaps angry at the person that you’re caring for.

ANNOUNCER: If you’re dealing with a similar situation, it can be helpful to seek out support.

Julie, Caregiver : What has helped me at every single point is being able to turn to friends, people who will say, “You’re doing a great job,” that’s what really has made the difference

Anna Loengard, MD : find as many resources as possible, caregiver support groups, professionals to help you to find what you need.

ANNOUNCER: According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, approximately 44 million American family members and friends provide unpaid care to another adult.

Anna Loengard, MD : caregivers tend to have, you know, greater depression, greater medical problems that perhaps they don’t actually seek care for for themselves

ANNOUNCER: That’s one lesson Julie hopes other caregivers take to heart.

Julie, Caregiver : If you can't take care of yourself, you're not going to be able to take care of anybody else.

Thanks for joining us on today’s once daily.