The Care Partner Support page is a place to find resources to support the important role you play in your loved one’s wellness.
Actor Portrayal
You may feel tired, lonely, uncertain, or even
frustrated. That’s all completely normal.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a life-changing diagnosis that can be a challenge for anyone. As a care partner, attending to your loved one’s physical and emotional health is critical, but looking after your own well-being is just as important. Don’t feel like you need to go at it alone.
Recognize the symptoms of “off” time
It's important to recognize changes and communicate them to your loved one and their medical team.
THERE ARE MANY SIGNS OF “OFF” EPISODES, INCLUDING:
TREMORS
DIFFICULTY
WALKING
SLOWNESS
STIFFNESS
PARTIAL OR TOTAL
INABILITY TO MOVE
As a care partner you may notice changes in your loved one.
They may not realize these changes or may hesitate to admit them. It's important to observe your loved one's symptoms and share what you’re seeing with them and their care team.
The Doctor Discussion Guide can help you and your loved one keep track of symptoms over time and note changes. Take good notes and share your findings at your next doctor visit. Even noting subtle changes in symptoms may help make a difference.
NOURIANZ works with your loved one’s current levodopa/carbidopa regimen to help reduce “off” episodes in adult patients with PD.
Care Partners Need Care Too
Caring for your partner with PD can feel like a full-time job, so it’s easy to lose track and neglect your own well-being. It’s equally important to take care of yourself.
Pace yourself
Your loved one may become more dependent on you over time, and it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Take it day by day and try not to be too hard on yourself when things get difficult. Setting aside time to rest, recharge, and meditate can help you assess your own needs.
Be open to change
You and your loved one will have to adjust to new norms along the way. It’s important to stay positive and communicate as you travel along this journey. Consider joining a care partner support group to reach out and connect with others. Swapping stories with others on a similar path can open your eyes to new ways of approaching obstacles.
Listen to your body
It’s important to manage both your mental and physical needs so that you don’t get burnt out. Try to keep your body in motion. Stay physically active, whether that’s taking a yoga class or a walk in your neighborhood. And don’t forget to stick to a healthy diet to help you feel your best.
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from NOURIANZ
Additional Resources for Care Partners
There are many people just like you on a similar journey with a partner with Parkinson’s disease. Discover their stories and find more useful tips below.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation
www.michaeljfox.org/news/care-partnersParkinson’s Foundation
www.parkinson.org/resources-support/carepartnersAmerican Parkinson Disease Association
www.apdaparkinson.org/article/being-a-parkinsons-care-partner/Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s
https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/resources/parkinsons-care-partner-resources/Parkinson & Movement Disorder Alliance
https://www.pmdalliance.org/care-partners-family-members-adult-children/
What is NOURIANZ?
NOURIANZ is a prescription medicine used with levodopa and carbidopa to treat adults with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who are having “off” episodes. It is not known if NOURIANZ is safe and effective in children.
Important Safety Information
Before you take NOURIANZ, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
- have a history of abnormal movement (dyskinesia)
- have reduced liver function
- smoke cigarettes
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. NOURIANZ may harm your unborn baby
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if NOURIANZ passes into breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take NOURIANZ or breastfeed
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
NOURIANZ and other medicines may affect each other causing side effects. NOURIANZ may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how NOURIANZ works.
What are the possible side effects of NOURIANZ?
NOURIANZ may cause serious side effects, including:
- uncontrolled sudden movements (dyskinesia). Uncontrolled sudden movements is one of the most common side effects.
- hallucinations and other symptoms of psychosis. NOURIANZ can cause abnormal thinking and behavior, including:
- being overly suspicious or feeling people want to harm you (paranoid ideation)
- believing things that are not real (delusions)
- seeing or hearing things that are not real (hallucinations)
- confusion
- increased activity or talking (mania)
- disorientation
- aggressive behavior
- agitation
- delirium (decreased awareness of things around you)
- unusual urges (impulse control or compulsive behaviors). Some people taking NOURIANZ get urges to behave in a way unusual for them. Examples of this are unusual urges to gamble, increased sexual urges, strong urges to spend money, binge eating, and the inability to control these urges.
If you notice or your family notices that you are developing any new or unusual symptoms or behaviors, talk to your healthcare provider.
The most common side effects of NOURIANZ include uncontrolled movements (dyskinesia), dizziness, constipation, nausea, hallucinations, and problems sleeping (insomnia).
These are not all the possible side effects of NOURIANZ.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Please see Patient Information for NOURIANZ.