August 20, 2026

@michaelokun

What resonated most w/ me in this paper by Seshadri, Kluger and colleagues is the need to move beyond viewing Parkinson’s caregiving primarily through the lens of caregiver burden. The seemingly small things matter. It is frequently the accumulation of everyday decisions, chores and changing responsibilities, rather than one dramatic event, that pushes a care partner toward exhaustion. Just as importantly, asking for help can be remarkably difficult for both the person w/ Parkinson’s and the care partner. We need to start these conversations earlier, ask directly what help is needed and revisit roles and expectations as Parkinson’s changes. Perhaps the most powerful message for me was that caregiving is not only about burden. At its core are love, partnership, meaning and sometimes even joy. In our clinics, we should be asking about those things too. Caring for the care partner is Parkinson’s care. https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200649