Each November, the Parkinson’s Foundation recognizes National Family Caregivers Month as an important time to celebrate and honor the many contributions of the 65 million Americans caring for a loved one living with a chronic condition like Parkinson’s disease (PD). This year, more than ever, the focus is on care partner burnout as a special effort is made to encourage care partners to find time to care for themselves too.

We have a special conversation with two unique experts: John L. Lehr, the President and CEO of the non-profit Parkinson’s Foundation, and Carla Velastegui, a healthcare technologist and a care partner for her mother, who herself was diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD) in 2010. Based in Toronto, she is a member of the Parkinson’s Foundation People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council, a group of dedicated people in the Parkinson’s community who advise and collaborate with the organization on a volunteer basis.

What You’ll Learn About PD and the Needs of Caregivers:

• Special resources for people who are taking care of people with PD, including new resources for the Spanish-speaking community.

• The challenges of taking care of someone with a progressive disease.

• Essential tips to prevent care partner burnout, which can affect anyone caring for someone with PD and other chronic diseases.

• Info about the Parkinson’s Foundation free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636) for answers to PD care questions in English and Spanish, and the Foundation’s complete library of online resources.