Parkinson’s Care Partner Training
Program Hub
During this training program, our experts offer education, tools for building self-efficacy, strategies for managing change, and a game plan for navigating the various complications Parkinson’s may throw your way.
If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected]
Thank you for your participation and for all you do as you love and support the person (or people) with Parkinson’s in your life.
Handbook
Below is the Care Partner Training handbook, compiling all 10 sessions together in one place.
To download a PDF version to your personal computer or device, click the purple button below.
If you would like to view the handbook on our website in a magazine style, click the arrow to the right of the handbook to begin viewing.
To change the format or make it full screen (four little arrows), see the tool bar underneath the handbook. You can also change the page layout by clicking the three little buttons on the right of the tool bar.
Recordings
September 29, 2023
Topics
- Program Aims, Expectations, and Flow
- What it Means to Be a Parkinson’s Care Partner
- Care Partner Roles Post-Diagnosis
- Parkinson’s Care Partner Strain and Outcomes
Conversation Starters
- What do you hope to gain from this program?
- What are some skills or resources you wished you had known about when your person was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s?
- Did you have preconceived notions about being a care partner before you started? What were they? Were they positive? Negative? Both?
- What are some of your top concerns when it comes to being a care partner?
- Now that you are enrolled in this program, what are some feelings you are experiencing? (e.g. nervousness, relief, excitedness, etc.)
- As a care partner, have you ever found it hard to take care of your own needs? Why?
- Are there doctor’s appointments or other care that you’ve missed for your own health and well-being? What were the barriers that got in the way?
- What kind of physical activity do you currently engage in? What are some specific obstacles to engaging in this activity more regularly?
- What are some ways to take care of your own health and your loved one at the same time?
- Emotional Side of Caregiving – Family Caregiver Alliance
- Caregiver Emotions – Alzheimer’s Association
- Who Am I Now? The Ever-Changing Role of the Caregiver – Today’s Caregiver
- How to Stay Healthy and Avoid Burnout as a Parkinson’s Care Partner
- The Parkinson’s Care Partner’s Digital Toolbox
- What is a Parkinson’s Care Partner?
- Being a Care Partner for Someone with Parkinson’s
- How to Build Your Parkinson’s Care Partner Support Team
- Caregiver Stress
- Dealing With Caregiver Stress And Burnout
Click to download the transcript.
Note, the files will download to whatever you have set as default on your device.
This homework is optional.
- In the last week, what was a situation or challenge that you handled well?
- In the last week, what brought you joy?
- In the last week, what made you laugh?
- In this coming week, how can you build in MORE of these things? Who can you share these with?
One of our favorite exercises for care partners is “Dear Future Me.”
Here’s how it works:
- Go to futureme.org.
- Enter your email address.
- Write a note to yourself.
- Select a date you’d like the letter to be emailed back to you.
- Hit submit.
They’ll hold it until it’s time to email it back to you. They have letters in their database today that will be sent back to people as far ahead as 2073.
If you’re interested in doing this exercise, you could write a note to yourself about what you’d like to know, have, be able to do, etc., at the end of this course.
And/or you might write a note to yourself for a year from now to see how far you’ve come. You might tell yourself what you’re afraid of, what keeps you up at night, or what’s getting in your way. Or you might focus on everything you’re grateful for now. This is your letter – however you think it will help is your call.
Getting letters from the future is always fun, and it’s a great way to track growth, mindset, and fears during uncertain times.
Links mentioned during the class/in the chat. We will also include questions we were unable to address specifically during the session, if there are any, but have information about on our site:
- Pre-Course Survey
- Pre-Course Quiz
- Worksheets and Checklists
- Every Victory Counts manuals
- Meditation Course for People with Parkinson’s and Care Partners
- Webinar: Sexuality and Intimacy for People with Parkinson’s and Care Partners with Sheila Silver
- Parkinson’s Travel Checklist
- How to Travel with Greater Ease with Parkinson’s
- Podcast: Relationships and Parkinson’s
- Can I Still Drive Now that I Have Parkinson’s?
- Getting Paid Care for Your Person with Parkinson’s
October 2, 2023
Topics
- Managing Change
- Falls and Exercise
- Constipation and nOH
Conversation Starters
- Do you remember a specific time when you advocated for your loved one? What happened? How did you handle it? How did you feel?
- Are there tools or resources you wish you had to help ER or hospital visits go more smoothly? If so, what are they?
- Has your loved one undergone a sudden change? What did you do to address it?
- If your loved one has experienced sudden change(s) before, what was your initial reaction to it? Did any particular emotions arise?
- What benefits have you experienced from connecting with others going through a similar journey of caregiving and patient advocacy?
- Was there a particular fall your loved one had that you wish you had handled differently? If so, how?
- Was there a particular fall your loved one had that you feel you handled well? Why?
- Do you recall certain areas of your home that felt “unsafe” for your loved one? If so, how did you handle that?
- Have you noticed patterns of places or times of day that your loved one tends to fall, slip, or has trouble transferring?
- Does exercise come easily to your person with Parkinson’s? If not, what are some strategies you’ve tried to encourage them to exercise? What has worked and what hasn’t?
- Have you and your loved one scheduled time to exercise together?
- Has your loved one experienced constipation or orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure) issues? If so, what are some ways you can deal with these issues at home?
- Has your loved one ever complained of feeling dizzy, had a glazed look, or passed out when he or she stood up? What did you do? Would you do anything differently?
Patient Advocacy and Managing Change
- Patient Safety Kit. Parkinson’s Foundation.
- Hospital Action Plan. Parkinson’s Foundation.
- Emergency Room (ER) Visits: A Family Caregiver’s Guide. Next Step in Care.
- Advocating for Others
- Patient Advocate: An Important Role for All Caregivers
Falls and Exercise
- Exercising, Freezing of Gait, and Postural Instability in People with Parkinson’s
- Parkinson’s Home Safety Checklist
- Falls Prevention Conversation Guide for Caregivers. National Council on Aging.
- Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- National Council on Aging. Falls Prevention Conversation Guide for Caregivers
- Neuroplasticity, Exercise, and Parkinson’s
Constipation and nOH
Note: When you click the links above, the files will download to whatever you have set as the default download location on your device.
- As unpleasant as it might be… ask your person about how often they are having a bowel movement, whether it’s very hard/large/difficult to pass, and whether they find themselves straining.
- If your person is experiencing dizzy spells/light-headedness when getting up, track these nOH symptoms over the next week or so so you have the info to share with your doctor.
- If your person is not exercising (but is capable of doing so), invite them to have a conversation about it and what they are open to doing. Try to incorporate movement (both of you) a little bit every day and track your progress.
Links mentioned during the class/in the chat. We will also include questions we were unable to address specifically during the session, if there are any, but have information about on our site:
- The Feelings Wheel
- Book: Ambiguous Loss: Learning to Live with Unresolved Grief
- Hoehn and Yahr Parkinson’s Stages
- The Difference Between Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease Dementia, and Alzheimer’s
- How to Find a Parkinson’s Physical Therapist Near You
- 20-minute morning Qigong routine
- How to Encourage People with Parkinson’s to Exercise
- The Squatty Potty
- Self-Cleaning Toilet Attachment
- Three-Bean Salad
- Yogurt Maker and Recipe
- Hydration Bottles with Time-of-Day Nudges
October 6, 2023
Topics
Parkinson’s Medications, Complications, and Advanced Symptoms with Serena Hess, RN
Conversation Starters
What are some things you’ve done to help keep your loved one’s medications in order and on schedule?
What are actions you have taken when medications do not seem to be doing their job?
Note: When you click the links above, the files will download to whatever you have set as the default download location on your device.
- What challenges do you notice about your person’s medications? Are they missing doses? Feeling like things no longer work as well as they used to? Mixing up medications?
- What system, if any, do you use to help your person stay on top of their medications? How do you feel it’s working?
Links mentioned during the class/in the chat. We will also include questions we were unable to address specifically during the session, if there are any, but have information about on our site:
- Webinar: Urinary Dysfunction and Parkinson’s
- What You Need to Know about Urinary Tract Infections
- Drugs that are used to treat/minimize cognitive issues: Donepezil and Rivastigmine
- Common anti-depressant medications: Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro
- Rasagiline
- Davis Phinney Foundation Digital Medication Guide, searchable by symptom and type of drug
- Daily Medication Log
- Overall Medication Log
- Medications to Avoid
- Medication to Avoid, printable version
- Motor Symptom Medication Management
- Non-Motor Symptom Medication Management
October 10, 2023
Topic
- Parkinson’s Nutrition
Conversation Starters
- Watching a loved one lose or gain weight can bring up many different feelings in care partners. If this is something you have experienced, what feelings did it lead to? How did you cope?
- Have you found any tips, tricks, or special foods that helped with unintentional weight loss or weight gain?
- Powerpoint Slides
- The Most Important Fact to know about Parkinson’s Nutrition
- The 17 Most Commonly Asked Questions about Parkinson’s Nutrition
- Weight loss and Parkinson’s Disease
- Medication Protein and Parkinson’s
- How to Take Levodopa
- Poor caregiver mental health predicts mortality of patients with neurodegenerative disease
- Dyadic Interdependence in Non-spousal Caregiving Dyads’ Wellbeing: A Systematic Review
Note: When you click the links above, the files will download to whatever you have set as the default download location on your device.
- What concerns do you have, if any, about your person’s diet and nutrition?
- How is your OWN diet? Are you feeding yourself with as much care as you are your person? Food is not only fuel but also a means of self-care that some care partners minimize in their dedication to their people with Parkinson’s.
Links mentioned during the class/in the chat. We will also include questions we were unable to address specifically during the session, if there are any, but have information about on our site:
- How Sarcopenia Affects Quality of Life with Parkinson’s
- Aspiration Pneumonia
- Nux vomica 30C – Recommended as a potential help for nausea from an audience member – always check with your medical care team before starting anything new
- Nosey Cups mentioned by speaker
October 13, 2023
Topics
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Apathy
- Loneliness
- Isolation
Conversation Starters
- How have you dealt with care partner strain in the past? What tools have you used? Was this effective?
- When you were feeling stressed as a care partner, what were some of the outcomes? Do you feel the stress of being a care partner affects your ability to care for your loved one?
- Are you aware of ways to prevent and treat depression, anxiety, and apathy? Who can you talk with about these concerns for yourself? For your loved one?
- Do/did you have concerns about depression, anxiety, or apathy in your loved one? How about in yourself?
- Have you experienced embarrassment or stigma around topics like depression and anxiety? Why? What might you do to overcome feeling embarrassed?
- Do you have social support systems in place? If so, how did you go about creating this system and/or asking for help?
- What are some specific ways in which your daily life has changed since you became a care partner for your loved one?
- Who do you talk with regularly, outside of your loved one?
- How much do other family members know about your care partner situation, and how comfortable were you sharing with family members? If you didn’t feel comfortable, why not?
- Have you received help from a social worker? If so, how aware was the social worker of your care partner challenges?
- People with Parkinson’s often lose interest in hobbies or other activities, and the burden can fall on their care partners to nudge them to do things. Has this been part of your experience? What has worked? What hasn’t worked?
- Mood and Mental Health Strategies for Care Partners
- Caregiver Depression: A Silent Health Crisis. Family Caregiver Alliance.
- Depression, Anxiety, and Aapthy and How to Manage Them
- Depression, Mood, and Anxiety in Parkinson’s
- Parkinson’s and Apathy: A Primer
- What to Do with Apathy as a Parkinson’s Care Partner
- 5 Ways to Manage Apathy as a Parkinson’s Care Partner
- Resiliency as a Tool for Living Well with Parkinson’s
- Helplessness and Hope in Parkinson’s with Judy Long
- Parkinson’s Care Partner Reflections by Susan Campanelli, EdD, RN
Note: When you click the links above, the files will download to whatever you have set as the default download location on your device.
- Do you feel that having Parkinson’s in your person’s (and your) life has increased or decreased your loneliness or isolation? How?
- Can you make a list of people you’d like to reconnect with, if you had the time?
- Can you pick one person from that list who you’ve lost contact with–either due to care partner responsibilities or other reasons–who you could call this week for a quick five-minute ‘hello’? Or even send an email or a text message to tell them you’re thinking of them? And if you do, how did that go?
Links mentioned during the class/in the chat. We will also include questions we were unable to address specifically during the session, if there are any, but have information about on our site:
- Parkinson’s Care Partner Reflections by Susan Campanelli, EdD, RN (We received this writing from a program participant after she reflected on the session, and we wanted to share it with you.)
- Q: How do we find a therapist who understands being a care partner for someone with Parkinson’s to help us deal with all of this?
A1: Look for a psychologist or psychiatrist with geriatric or neurological, mind/body training.
A2: Our local Alzheimer’s society branch keeps a list of counselors & social workers that help families of people with Alzheimer’s. I would also check with that group if there’s one near you and see if they have someone local to you.
A3: Go to PsychologyToday.com then click on “Find a therapist” - Webinar: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Parkinson’s
- Webinar: What is OFF and How to Manage It
- How to Encourage People with Parkinson’s to Exercise
- Lots of communities have a 211 service. For example, https://www.211colorado.org has information on all of the different services offered. Try inputting your state, as you might have the same thing.
- Selegiline
- Rasagiline
- Q: Is it better to use melatonin or PM Tylenol for sleep?
A: Melatonin!!!! - Mediation and Mindfulness for People with Parkinson’s and Care Partners
- Webinar: Mindfulness, Mediation, Relaxation, and Parkinson’s
October 20, 2023
Topics
- Guilt
- Anger
- Resentment
- Symptom Management and OFF
Conversation Starters
- Have you experienced any guilt while being a care partner? How have you coped?
- What are some other emotions you have experienced as a care partner?
- Were you able to find a way to be honest with your loved one about your emotions? If yes, how did your loved one respond? If not, why not?
- In what ways have your and your loved one’s roles and relationship changed? In what ways have they stayed the same?
- Do you have a safe person with whom you can be honest about your emotions? If not, let us help you think of someone who can provide this safe space for you.
- Notes from the Parkinson’s Care Partner Meetup – Guilt
- The Upside of Negative Emotions in Coping with Parkinson’s
- How to Understand and Manage OFF Times as a Parkinson’s Care Partner
- How to Communicate What It Means to be OFF
- Managing Motor Symptoms During OFF Times
- The Science of Parkinson’s OFF
- Parkinson’s OFF: What Is It and How to Manage It
- You Don’t Have to Have OFF Times with Parkinson’s
Note: When you click the links above, the files will download to whatever you have set as the default download location on your device.
- If your person is experiencing OFF symptoms, try keeping a simple diary for three days, noting what time they actually took their medications, what time the OFF periods occurred, and what time they ate meals. Bring this to their next doctor’s visit. If there is a clear pattern, the doctor may be able to adjust medications to improve OFF symptoms because of your detective work!
- How do guilt and/or anger show up for you? Where in your body do you feel them? What do they feel like? (For example, anger might feel like a tightness in the neck and shoulders, but guilt might feel like a sour stomach.) Pay attention this week to the physical cues of these tough emotions and name them. Often, bringing attention can help with recognizing the feelings and then letting them go.
Links mentioned during the class/in the chat. We will also include questions we were unable to address specifically during the session, if there are any, but have information about on our site:
- [Care Partner Meetup] Care Partners and Guilt with Dr. Aaron Haug
- The Comfort Book
- David Phinney Foundation Ambassadors
- Medication Hub
- Protein and Parkinson’s
- Symptom tracking sheet
- Medical planner
- Parkinson’s Motor Symptom Diary
- Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Parkinson’s
- Pill dispenser and medication alarm
- Rotigotine transdermal patch – side effects
- Neupro patch
- Duopa and How it Works
- Webinar: Emerging therapies in 2023
October 27, 2023
Topics
- Cognition
- Sleep
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
Conversation Starters
- Did you notice any changes in your loved one’s sleep, e.g., difficulty falling or staying asleep? Did you use any tools or resources to help improve their sleep?
- What cognitive changes have been the most challenging to handle? Did you use any tools or resources to help improve these changes?
- Was there a particular hallucination or delusion that was challenging for you to witness your loved one go through? Why was it challenging? What did it make you feel at the time?
- Are there any new strategies for coping with hallucinations or delusions in this module that you would like to try? Can you imagine how that might go or what you might say?
- Cognitive Complications in Parkinson’s
- Mild Cognitive Impairment and Parkinson’s
- Dementia and YOPD
- Psychiatric and Cognitive Complications in Parkinson’s
- Dementia and Parkinson’s: Definition, Causes, and Management
- Memory Picture Phones and Repetitive Calling Solutions
- Sundowning. Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center.
- Sleep and Living Well with Parkinson’s
- Sleep, Light, and Neurodegeneration
- Exercise and Its Impact on Sleep and Parkinson’s
- A Primer on Sleep and Parkinson’s
- How to Bring Light to the Darker Side of Parkinson’s: A Primer on Hallucinations and Delusions and How to Manage Them
- Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis (PDD)
- Impulse Control Disorders (ICD) and Parkinson’s: What They Are and How to Manage Them
Note: When you click the links above, the files will download to whatever you have set as the default download location on your device.
- If your person has hallucinations or delusions, can you pick one new strategy to use for coping this week?
- DISTRACT or REDIRECT: for example, if a person thinks something is happening that isn’t or there are people in the home who are not really there:
- “Oh really? Huh. I was going to go get a snack in the kitchen; want to come with me?” or
- “They told me they’re leaving in five minutes and not returning today. Let’s go on a walk; they’ll be gone when we get back.”
- JOIN: If the person is seeing something that’s not there, but it is pleasant, like a childhood pet, you might ask,
- “What was your favorite thing to do with (pet’s name)? Tell me about that.”
- “How old were you when you got (pet)? Tell me about that.
- Consider which strategies felt easier (or harder) to use; why do you think that is?
Links mentioned during the class/in the chat. We will also include questions we were unable to address specifically during the session, if there are any, but have information about on our site:
October 30, 2023
Topics
- Navigating the Healthcare System
- Medicare
- Patient and Care Partner Support
Conversation Starters
- Are you aware of any in-home care and respite care resources? Do you know how to access them? Have you used any?
- Did you have to make housing adjustments during your time as a caregiver? If so, what were they, and how did you handle that?
- If your loved one transitioned into an assisted living or nursing home, how have you made their new environment more comfortable for them? (Examples: pictures of family, favorite blanket, building relationships with staff)
- What questions do you have about palliative care and hospice services? Before beginning your loved one’s journey, what did “palliative care” and “hospice” mean to you? Did you have prior experience with either form of care?
- How do you think palliative care and/or hospice might play a role in your loved one’s journey?
For Help on Medicare & Medicaid
- A Beginner’s Guide to Medicaid
- Medicare Coverage and Parkinson’s
- Understanding Medicare’s Options: Parts A, B, C, and D (AARP)
- Medicare Interactive
For Palliative and Hospice Care
For Caregiver Support Systems
- Memory Cafes
- Senior Centers or Adult Day Centers
- Websites to hire caregivers directly
- 4Sitters
- Getting Your Affairs in Order
- Emergency Room (ER) Visits: A Family Caregiver’s Guide
- Your Conversation Starter Kit: For Families and Loved Ones of People with Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Forms of Dementia. The Conversation Project.
- Prepare for Your Care
Note: When you click the links above, the files will download to whatever you have set as the default download location on your device.
Do you know how to contact your local Area Agency on Aging? What services do they offer?
During this session, Sarah Chen mentioned a list of resources to help you navigate the healthcare system.
- Eldercare Locator
- VA Caregiver Support Program, US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Medicare
- Durable Medical Equipment, Medicare.gov
- Home Health Services, Medicare.gov
- Nursing Home Locator, Medicare.gov
- State Health Insurance Program (SHIP)
- Family Caregiver Alliance
- International NeuroPalliative Care Society
- National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Find a care provider
Talks Sarah Mentioned
November 3, 2023
Topics
- Uncertainty
- Self-Efficacy and Resilience
- Anticipatory Grief
- Ambiguous Loss
Conversation Starters
- People facing an impending loss may be feeling angry, depressed, irritable, or out of control and struggle with losing their loved one. Have you experienced any of these feelings?
- What are sources of support or resources that may help you through the process of anticipatory grief and bereavement?
- Have you experienced grief? Did you need any additional support around grief? If so, what kind of support?
- What are some tools or coping strategies that may help in the grief process?
Resiliency and Self-Efficacy
- How to Build Resiliency and Live Well with Parkinson’s
- Webinar – Resiliency as a Tool for Living Well with Parkinson’s
- Positivity Extends Life
- PD SELF Program: Join us for an upcoming course on building self-efficacy
For Managing Anticipatory Grief and Ambiguous Loss
Note: When you click the links above, the files will download to whatever you have set as the default download location on your device.
- How do you deal with the feelings of anticipatory grief and ambiguous loss?
- What has helped? What hasn’t?
Links mentioned during the class/in the chat. We will also include questions we were unable to address specifically during the session, if there are any, but have information about on our site:
- Poem: Welcome to Holland
- Find a Therapist: PsychologyToday.com
November 10, 2023
Topics
As this is the last session of the program, we will focus on whatever topics you have questions about. We have been collecting questions every week, and whatever questions we have yet to answer, we will address during this final session as long as they apply to most people.
Coming soon.
Note: When you click the links above, the files will download to whatever you have set as the default download location on your device.
Links mentioned during the class/in the chat.
Post-Session Resources
- List of durable medical equipment (DME) covered by insurance
- Other locations to find used medical equipment:
- Share the Care in your local community
- Buy Nothing
- Nurse’s Lending Closet (Some communities have nurse’s lending closets. You can do a Google search for one in your area or ask your medical team if they know of anything similar.)
- LSVT BIG
- Camptocormia
- The Poise Project – Alexander Technique for stopped posture
What’s Next?
- Please complete the final survey for the course here.
- Join the mentorship list, and we’ll keep you updated when enrollment is open.
- Register for our monthly care partner meetup here.
- Share this registration page for this course with your friends and fellow care partners: https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/programs/care-partner-training
- Please consider donating to the Foundation so we can offer more of these programs free of charge to those affected by Parkinson’s.
Your Instructors
Jori Fleisher, MD, is the Leslie Nan Burridge Endowed Faculty Scholar in Parkinson’s Research and an associate professor of neurological sciences at Rush University Medical Center. She is a movement disorder neurologist and epidemiologist who leads the Rush Advanced Interdisciplinary Movement Disorders Supportive Care (AIMS) Clinic and the CurePSP Center of Care and directs the Rush Lewy Body Dementia Association Research Center of Excellence, which was recently ranked as the top Center of Excellence nationally. Dr. Fleisher received her Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she completed neurology and global health equities residencies and a movement disorders fellowship. Dr. Fleisher has additional training in health services research, palliative care, and implementation science. Supported by the National Institutes of Health, foundations, and philanthropy, Dr. Fleisher has several studies underway focused on interdisciplinary home visits, telemedicine, interprofessional education, and peer mentoring to improve the lives of people and families living with advanced movement disorders. She collaborates nationally and internationally on several Parkinson’s, PSP, and Lewy body dementia-related grants and task forces. She graduated from the American Academy of Neurology Emerging Leaders Forum and Palatucci Advocacy and Leadership Forum. She serves on the Editorial Board of AAN’s patient-facing Brain & Life magazine and has been awarded the 2020 CurePSP Standout Achievement Award and the CurePSP 2020 Inspiration and Innovation to Cure Award.
Polly Dawkins (Moderator) has an extensive tenure as the Executive Director of the Davis Phinney Foundation, spanning over a decade. Recognized as a tireless advocate, Polly’s deep-rooted ties to the community, forward-thinking vision, and unwavering compassion for individuals living with Parkinson’s have played a pivotal role in meeting the Foundation’s goal of providing actionable tools and resources to enhance the quality of life of all those affected by Parkinson’s. Polly holds an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and a BA in International Studies from Earlham College.
Serena Hess, MA, MSN, RN, served as the home visit nurse during the research project for three years, completing >300 visits to homebound individuals with Parkinson’s and related disorders. She is an expert Parkinson’s nurse who has seen everything in people’s homes, including medication management and family dynamics, and is currently earning her DNP in geriatric psychiatry.
Sarah Mitchell Chen, LCSW, APHSW-C, has been a social worker in the Rush Movement Disorders Clinic for over ten years and the AIMS clinic since 2019. In her private practice, Sarah focuses on caregivers and care transitions. She is an expert in navigating the healthcare system, patient/caregiver support, what Medicare/insurance covers and doesn’t, and much more.
Kristin Gustashaw, MS, RDN, LDN, CSG, is an advanced-level clinical dietitian and certified specialist in gerontological nutrition, the go-to dietitian for a movement disorders practice for many years, and the AIMS Clinic dietitian since 2019. She is an expert in all things nutrition, constipation, unintentional weight loss, food adjustments, and liquid textures.
We’d like to thank our Parkinson’s Care Partner Training Program sponsor AbbVie Grants for supporting this program and making it available for free to all participants.
