Hello, Jill, and welcome! This is a good place to share information, advice and friendship -- I'm glad you found it. Here are a couple of ideas that might be useful to you right now:
Contact Camilla Flintermann, [log in to unmask], and ask her about joining the CARE list for PD caregivers. If you don't hear back from her in a day or 2, try again; she is having some work done on her computer and will be offline briefly. You will find both lists, PARKINSN and CARE, very helpful.
"Her and my dad are extremely resistant to assisted
techology and to having in-home help and as a result they are both
extremely depressed and dependent upon me."
Contact the Area Agency on Aging where your parents live, or contact the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 and they will provide you with resources in your parents' area. Through them, you can arrange for an in-home assessment of your parents' situation. Outsiders can often get through to "resistant" folks when family members can't.
"What can I do to help them? Should she be receving other medical
care besides the meds? Such as occupational therapy or counseling
for her depression?
Yes, therapy, counselling, anti-depressants, etc. Does her primary care physician know about these problems? Does her neurologist? Does she see a neurologist who specializes in PD or in "movement disorders"? You will probably need to contact the docs and let them know of your concerns.
Where do I begin?"
You're off to a good start, I think. Hang in there! Also, let us know where you and your parents live, and you will probably find some neighbors here.
Mary Rack
cg for mom Louise 75(age)/6(yrs diagnosed)
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