ABSTRACT
The vast majority of care for people with PD is provided by family members
rather than paid or professional caregivers.1 While this help is willingly
given, it often comes at a cost; sleepless nights, emotional exhaustion, and
financial sacrifice. Caregiving cannot be successful over a sustained period
unless the caregiver’s health, daily functioning, and quality of life are pro-
tected. Effective help for caregivers is that which holds caregiver stress at an
acceptable level, buttresses the caregiver’s psychological adjustment and
health, and at the same time fosters effective caregiving behaviors. Helping
PD caregivers learn better ways to emotionally and practically cope with
the severe physical decline, unique to PD, needs to go hand-in-hand with
treating the medical problems specific to PD patients themselves.
