Tips for Caregivers on Coping with Parkinson's Symptoms

Moving with Mood Changes in Aging and Parkinson’s:  A Look at Depression and Anxiety

By The Michael J. Fox Foundation, June 2020

In this one-hour webinar, a panel of physicians and people with PD that include a psychiatrist, neurologist, and a music producer discuss how and why mood changes, such as depression and anxiety, happen in Parkinson's, how caregivers and their loved ones can talk about these symptoms with each other and with their providers, and what treatment options are available.

Webinar Notes are on the Stanford PD Community Blog.

Mood & Cognition: Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease & how it impacts relationships

By Parkinson’s Canada, March 3, 2020 

This one-hour webinar will help caregivers deal with relationship issues stemming from mood and cognitive changes that occur as a result of living with Parkinson's disease. The webinar also focuses on various communication strategies. 

Webinar Notes are on the Stanford PD Community Blog.

Apathy and Parkinson’s

By Parkinson Canada, 2025

This four-page fact sheet briefly outlines the prevalence, symptoms, and causes of apathy in Parkinson's before explaining how to distinguish apathy from depression and fatigue. Facial masking and softer, slower speech can complicate this distinction for families. The last two pages have tips on how to identify and cope with apathy for both people with PD and caregivers.

Apathy and Parkinson’s

By Parkinson TV, July 25, 2018

This 30-minute episode of Parkinson TV (episode 4, season 2) is an interview of two professionals, a woman with PD and her spouse. The conversation distinguishes apathy from depression. The focus is on how apathy affects both the person with PD and caregivers, plus what can be done to overcome apathy and relieve caregiver burden. Five minutes are spent interviewing a neurologist in Spain for an international perspective of PD.

Webinar Notes are on the Stanford PD Community Blog.

Motivation and Parkinson’s disease: A discussion on Apathy & Impulsivity

By Parkinson Canada, February 4, 2021

In this 50-minute talk, psychiatrist Mateusz Zurowski, MD, walks listeners through the non-motor Parkinson's symptoms of apathy and impulsivity. He explains why people with Parkinson's experience apathy and shares what care partners, the patient, and the medical team can do to help.

Mental Health and Parkinson's

By Parkinson Society British Columbia, March 30, 2021

In this one-hour talk, clinical counselor Courtney Doherty describes depression, anxiety, and apathy, all common changes in mood in Parkinson's disease (PD), and provides extensive information on how these changes can be treated, particularly in non-pharmacological ways.

Caregiving Strategies for PD Dementia

By PMD Alliance, January 11, 2021

In this one-hour webinar, Angelo Domingo, Psy.D., does a good job of explaining the cognitive changes caregivers can expect in the later stages of Parkinson's and shared numerous tips for accomplishing daily tasks as smoothly as possible despite those changes.  

Cognition, Caring and Coping

By World Parkinson Coalition, September 2020

This one-hour virtual panel begins with a series of short presentations on cognitive changes in people with Parkinson’s by four speakers with different experiences in this topic: a registered nurse, a social worker, and a person with Parkinson’s with his caregiver husband. Following the presentations, the discussion and question and answer period was focused on the role of PD caregivers when a person with PD is experiencing cognitive changes. 

Moving with Mood Changes in Aging and Parkinson’s:  A Look at Depression and Anxiety

By The Michael J. Fox Foundation, June 2020

In this one-hour webinar, a panel of physicians and people with PD that includes a psychiatrist, neurologist, and a music producer discuss how and why mood changes, such as depression and anxiety, happen in Parkinson's. Also discussed is how caregivers and their loved ones can talk about these symptoms with each other and with their providers, and what treatment options are available.

Webinar Notes are on the Stanford PD Community Blog.

Depression and Parkinson’s Disease

By Parkinson's Society of British Columbia, May 12, 2020

In this one-hour webinar, psychiatrist Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, MD, discusses the symptoms and treatment options for depression as well as the state of research into depression and PD, briefly touching on experimental forms of neurostimulation to address depression.  

Webinar Notes are on the Stanford PD Community Blog.

Apathy or Depression: Which One Is It?

By Parkinson’s Foundation, June 14, 2016

This 68-minute audio lecture with coordinated slide presentation features Dawn Bowers, Ph.D., speaking on the differences and overlapping aspects of apathy and depression, the difficulty in diagnosing for people with Parkinson’s disease, and treatments for both. 

Presenter's Slides are on Parkinson's Foundation website.

A Caregiver’s Guide to Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis 

By Andrew J. Ridder, MD.  Published by Michigan Health, Brain Health Blog, February 16, 2017

While more than half of those taking carbidopa-levodopa may experience psychosis (a break with reality), medication management of these symptoms is a balancing act. Caregivers should first bring psychotic behavior (primarily hallucinations, delusions and illusions) to the attention of the medical team. Medical causes of the behavior, like infection, must be ruled out, followed by a review of medications and possible medication adjustments before lifestyle changes and possible medications for treatment are added.

Preparing for a Medical Appointment

Published by Parkinson's Foundation

This comprehensive page is directed at care partners, including tips for scheduling an appointment, what to bring, managing your appointment time, and how to follow up if you have more questions. Links to printable symptom diary, medication list, and more worksheets are handy.

See our page Preparing for Doctor Appointments for more.