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Care & Support

Caring for Someone With Parkinson’s Disease

Care partners play a vital role

Managing the well-being of a person with Parkinson’s disease frequently extends beyond the care physicians provide — often falling into the hands of others. A care partner can be anybody who is close to the patient — a spouse, friend, child, parent, or other family member.

More than 65 million Americans are care partners and they are vital to the physical and mental health of those who live with Parkinson's and other diseases.

Improving day-to-day living

Here are some suggestions for managing day-to-day living for a person with Parkinson’s disease:

• Physical, occupational, and speech therapy can help a person with Parkinson’s disease maintain function and perform activities of daily living. You can help by ensuring that your loved one performs the recommended exercises on a regular basis
• Encourage exercise such as walking and swimming. Regular exercise can help your loved one maximize his or her independence
• Make sure your loved one eats a balanced diet and consumes enough calories to maintain a proper weight
• If you notice that your loved one is having difficulty swallowing, consult their physician
• If possible, enlist the services of a visiting nurse or healthcare professional to help you

Improving the living environment

These practical suggestions can help make the home environment safer and easier to navigate for someone living with Parkinson’s disease:

• Customize seating, toilets, bathtubs, and showers by installing grab bars where appropriate
• Remove tables with pointed edges that could injure your loved one if he or she stumbles
• Replace glass shower doors with a shower curtain for increased safety and easier access
• Remove obstructions and hazards in the home, such as doorsills and throw rugs
• For patients in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease, ramps that can accommodate wheelchairs can provide the means for a person with Parkinson’s disease to move around at will

Consult the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) for information on catalogs that feature products that may make the home environment easier to navigate.

Next: For Care Partners

Indications:

MIRAPEX ER and Mirapex^® (pramipexole dihydrochloride) tablets are prescription medicines to treat the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Important Safety Information:

MIRAPEX ER or MIRAPEX may cause you to fall asleep without warning during daily activities, including talking, eating, and driving, which may result in accidents. Tell your doctor if you feel new or increased sleepiness while taking MIRAPEX ER or MIRAPEX. Do not drive a car, operate a machine, or do anything that needs you to be alert until you know how MIRAPEX ER or MIRAPEX affects you.

Before taking MIRAPEX ER or MIRAPEX, talk to your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you feel sleepy during the day. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol or take other medications that make you drowsy, as these can increase the chance that MIRAPEX ER or MIRAPEX will make you feel sleepy or fall asleep when you should be awake.

When taking MIRAPEX ER or MIRAPEX, hallucinations (unreal visions, sounds or sensations) may occur and you may sometimes feel dizzy, nauseated, faint or sweaty when you sit up or stand quickly.

Some patients taking certain medicines to treat PD, including MIRAPEX ER and MIRAPEX, have reported problems, such as gambling, compulsive eating, compulsive buying, and increased sex drive. If you or your family members notice that you are developing unusual urges or behaviors, talk to your doctor.

The most common side effects in people taking MIRAPEX ER for early PD are sleepiness, nausea and vomiting, constipation, dizziness, tiredness, hallucinations, dry mouth, muscle spasms, and edema (swelling of the feet and ankles).

The most common side effects in people taking MIRAPEX ER who have later-stage PD are abnormal movements, nausea, constipation, hallucinations, headache, and anorexia.

The most common side effects in people taking MIRAPEX for PD are nausea, dizziness, sleepiness, constipation, hallucinations, insomnia, muscle weakness, confusion, and abnormal movements.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information, for MIRAPEX ER and MIRAPEX.

*This offer is not valid if your prescriptions are paid for in whole or in part by Medicaid, Medicare, TriCare, or any other federal or state medical or pharmaceutical assistance program. This offer is not valid in Massachusetts or where prohibited by law. The value of this card for each prescription is limited to $40 or your out-of-pocket costs, whichever is less.

This offer must be presented at the pharmacy and all benefits utilized by 12/31/12. Patients enrolled after 12/31/2011 will only be eligible for the number of refills up to the program expiration date of 12/31/2012.

This information is intended for U.S. residents only.

CARES Foundation If you can't afford your MIRAPEX ER,
our patient assistance program
may be able to help. Call 1-800-556-8317.