Jun 29, 2026
Medically reviewed by Jillian Foglesong Stabile MD, FAAFP, DABOM — Written by The Healthline Editorial Team — Updated on July 1, 2025
Try these 10 tips to help a loved one live with Parkinson’s disease. These may include listening, getting outdoors, and connecting them with support groups or other resources. Recognizing changing symptoms and patience are also keys to being supportive.
When someone you care about has Parkinson’s disease, you see firsthand the effects the condition can have on someone.
Symptoms like rigid movements, lack of balance, and tremors become part of their daily lives and can worsen as the disease progresses.
Your loved one needs extra help and support to stay active and preserve their quality of life. You can help out in a number of ways — from offering a friendly ear when they need to talk, to driving them to medical appointments.
Here are 10 of the best ways to help someone you love manage Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder. If you’re a caregiver for someone living with Parkinson’s, you’re likely familiar with some of the symptoms of the disease.
But do you know what causes its symptoms, how the condition progresses, or what treatments can help manage it? Also, Parkinson’s doesn’t manifest the same way in everyone.
To be the best ally for your loved one, learn as much as you can about Parkinson’s disease. Do research on reputable websites like the Parkinson’s Foundation, or read books about the condition.
Tag along for medical appointments and ask the doctor questions. If you’re well informed, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect and how to be the most help.
Every day responsibilities like shopping, cooking, and cleaning become much more difficult when you have a movement disorder.
Sometimes people with Parkinson’s need help with these and other tasks, but they may be too proud or embarrassed to ask for it.
Step in and offer to run errands, prepare meals, drive to medical appointments, pick up medications at the drug store, and help with any other day-to-day tasks they have difficulty with on their own.
Jun 25, 2026
Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.D. — Written by Rachael Zimlich, RN, BSN — Updated on February 19, 2026
Key takeaways
- Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that involves reduced dopamine levels.
- Parkinsonism is a broad term describing conditions that involve movement symptoms such as slowness of movement, rigidity, and tremor. Sometimes, Parkinson’s disease is defined as a type of parkinsonism.
- While Parkinson’s disease typically develops gradually due to genetic and environmental factors, other types of parkinsonism can have sudden onset and may be caused by strokes, brain injuries, infections, or certain medications.
Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism are both characterized by tremors, stiffness, and movement problems.
However, there are subtle differences that doctors can use to tell whether the symptoms are due to Parkinson’s disease or parkinsonism.
In this article, we discuss the difference between Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism, diagnosis, and management.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder where damage to neurons leads to a decrease in neurotransmitters like dopamine. Symptoms may include movement problems, tremors, depression, and communication issues.
Parkinsonism is an umbrella term for a group of conditions that cause tremors, slow movement, and stiffness.
Other conditions and events that may produce symptoms of parkinsonism include:
- certain medications
- brain tumors
- certain brain infections
- stroke/vascular parkinsonism
- head trauma
- metabolic conditions
- toxins
- atypical parkinsonisms
Atypical parkinsonisms, which used to be defined as Parkinson’s plus, are neurodegenerative conditions that cause movement symptoms similar to those of Parkinson’s disease along with additional symptoms that are not necessarily part of Parkinson’s disease.
Common atypical parkinsonisms include multi-system atrophy (MSA), Lewy body dementia, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal degeneration.
Jun 24, 2026
Last updated Aug. 1, 2025, by Patricia Weiser, PharmD
Fact-checked by Patrícia Silva, PhD
If you or a loved one is living with Parkinson’s disease, you already know it can affect movement. But you might be surprised by how much it can impact your feet.
Understanding how Parkinson’s affects your feet — and what you can do about it — can help you stay more comfortable, confident, and mobile.
How Parkinson’s affects the feet
Parkinson’s symptoms (such as stiffness, tremors, and posture changes) can shift your weight forward, putting extra pressure on your feet and making it harder to stay balanced.
These issues are closely linked to changes in gait or the way you walk. Over time, these gait changes can lead to painful foot problems, a higher risk of falls, and even a fear of walking.
You may also notice cramping or spasms that come and go, known as dystonia, which often causes clenched or curling toes and painful spasms in the feet. It’s common in Parkinson’s, especially in the morning when medications wear off.
Nail issues and ankle discomfort are also common. In a 2022 study comparing adults with and without Parkinson’s, those with Parkinson’s reported more challenges with tasks like toenail trimming and walking.
They also perceived a worse health state of their feet compared with people without Parkinson’s, with some reporting that their foot problems negatively affected their quality of life.
The good news is that with the right foot care and support, many of these problems can be effectively managed, helping you stay active and safe.
What is Parkinson’s gait?
One of the most recognizable signs of Parkinson’s disease is a change in how you walk. This is often referred to as Parkinson’s gait, and it can affect your stability, step pattern, and overall mobility.
Common features of Parkinson’s gait include:
- short, shuffling steps
- reduced arm swing
- forward-leaning posture
- trouble turning
- freezing episodes (suddenly being unable to move).
These changes often develop later in the disease and are tied to slower, smaller, and more rigid movements. You may notice your legs feel stiff or heavy, and lifting your feet can be difficult. Walking flat-footed instead of heel-first is also common and can affect balance.
Jun 23, 2026
Medically reviewed by Nancy Hammond, M.D. — Written by Kristeen Cherney — Updated on June 6, 2025
Key takeaways
- Stage 1 is the mildest form, where symptoms don’t interfere with daily tasks, tremors affect only one side of the body, and prescribed medications can effectively minimize and reduce symptoms, while Stage 2 is a moderate form with more noticeable symptoms
- Stage 3 marks a major turning point in disease progression. It is characterized by loss of balance, decreased reflexes, slower overall movements, and an increased likelihood of falls, though people can still complete daily tasks with help, while Stage 4 is characterized by an increasing loss of independence and need for assistance.
- Stage 5 is the most advanced, requiring wheelchairs and around-the-clock assistance, with up to 50% of people experiencing confusion, hallucinations, and delusions, and between 50% and 80% developing dementia
Parkinson’s disease (Parkinsonism) is marked by the presence of certain recognizable symptoms. These include uncontrollable shaking or tremor, lack of coordination, and speaking difficulties. However, symptoms vary and may worsen as the disease progresses.
The main symptoms of Parkinson’s include:
- uncontrollable shaking and tremors
- slowed movement (bradykinesia)
- balance difficulties and eventual problems standing up
- stiffness in limbs
Many doctors who diagnose this brain disorder rely on the Hoehn and Yahr rating scale to classify the severity of symptoms. The scale is broken into five stages based on disease progression. The five stages help doctors evaluate how far the disease has advanced.
Stage 1 is the mildest form of Parkinson’s. At this stage, there may be symptoms, but they’re not severe enough to interfere with daily tasks and overall lifestyle. In fact, the symptoms are so minimal at this stage that they’re often missed. But family and friends may notice changes in your posture, walk, or facial expressions.
A distinct symptom of stage 1 Parkinson’s is that tremors and other difficulties in movement are generally exclusive to one side of the body. Prescribed medications can work effectively to minimize and reduce symptoms at this stage.
Jun 22, 2026
Written by Patricia Weiser, PharmD | Last updated April 6, 2026
Fact-checked by Patrícia Silva, PhD
If your parent is living with Parkinson’s disease, you may eventually notice changes that go beyond symptoms that affect mobility. Some patients begin to see, hear, or sense things that others do not. These experiences can be part of Parkinson’s psychosis.
These symptoms are more common than many families realize. Research suggests that 20% to 40% of people with the disease experience hallucinations or delusions. Recognizing these signs early and discussing them with your parent’s care team can help guide care decisions.
Signs to watch for in your parent
Spotting early Parkinson’s psychosis symptoms may be difficult because they are often subtle and may be mistaken for normal aging or fatigue. Your parent may also feel embarrassed or unsure about how to talk about what they are experiencing.
While symptoms can look different from person to person, Parkinson’s psychosis most often appears as hallucinations, illusions, or delusions.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations in Parkinson’s involve seeing, hearing, or sensing things that are not actually there. Hallucinations may last only seconds or minutes. You might notice your parent:
- seeing people, animals, or unfamiliar figures
- hearing voices, music, or knocking that others do not hear
- talking to relatives, neighbors, or pets that died long ago
Illusions
Illusions are similar to hallucinations but occur when something real is misinterpreted. These experiences can happen when the lighting is dim or when an object is viewed from a distance. Examples of illusions may include mistaking a shadow, a coat rack, or a lamp for a person, or believing someone moved in the room when it was only a shifting shadow.
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