Terri Pease, PhD, shared her Parkinson’s care partner story at the recent Parkinson Association of Northern California (PANC) conference.  She was a caregiver for her husband Peter, who had PD.  Over time, she learned that Parkinson’s introduces two entities into relationships—a “thief” that steals vital aspects of life like sleep, thinking, elimination, affection, learning, and sex, and a “liar” that distorts reality and breaks down trust. These challenges make caregiving difficult, but with the right approach, it is possible to stay connected in the relationship.  We at Stanford Parkinson’s Community Outreach attended her talk virtually, and are sharing our notes.

On September 26, the Stanford American Parkinson Disease Association (ADPA) Information and Referral Center hosted author Barbara Sheklin Davis for a webinar on PD caregiving. Barbara cared for her husband, Leslie, who had Parkinson’s for 20 years. Barbara shared her hard-earned wisdom and practical advice, drawing from her book, “Advice From a Parkinson’s Wife: 20 Lessons Learned the Hard Way” (2019).