The Clinical Presentation of Parkinson’s Disease and the Dyadic Relationship between Patients and Carers: A Neuropsychological Approach

Providing care for someone with a neurodegenerative condition such as Parkinson’s disease requires an integrated approach, taking into account the needs of the person with the disorder and family members most closely involved in their care. This is only possible with an understanding of the complex nature of Parkinson’s disease, extending beyond the management of the motor disorder. It also requires an appreciation of the significant neuropsychological changes accompanying the disease, which affect the person’s psychosocial adaptation to the condition and appear to have greatest impact on the well-being of carers. This book offers a comprehensive study of Parkinson’s disease, providing critical evaluation and integration at various levels of enquiry, whilst keeping the neuropsychological aspects of the condition at the forefront of interest. It emphasizes the importance of the dyadic relationship between those suffering from the illness and their spouse carers, who are thrust into a dynamic care-giving process, in which both play an active role. Drawing together the intricate threads that underlie this process, the study provides evidence to suggest that carers’ perceptions of the psychological changes affecting their spouse are of primary importance to shaping their experience of care-giving. The study is designed to go beyond a merely descriptive approach, seeking and providing plausible explanations for various conundrums in care-giving, which may help to inform intervention strategies aimed at alleviating some of its more difficult aspects for carers.