View Larger Image Jessica Holton, occupational therapist, leads two Parkinson's patients in a chair yoga demonstration on the stage as the audience participates from their seats.
Jessica Holton, occupational therapist, leads two Parkinson's patients in a chair yoga demonstration on the stage as the audience participates from their seats.

UAMS Parkinson’s Symposium Focuses on Patients and Caregivers

By Linda Satter

| April 30, 2025 | Visitors from across the state gathered this month to hear the latest about Parkinson’s disease and Atypical Parkinsonism at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)’ Parkinson’s Symposium 2025.

It marked the 10th year that UAMS experts held the public forum to share the latest advances in diagnoses and treatments for the brain disorder.

The audience for the April 13 symposium included patients, family members, caregivers and health care professionals. Over an hour and a half, they learned how physical exercise helps patients improve motivation and fatigue; how to help patients avoid falls; the gastrointestinal aspects of the disease; and the importance of support for caregivers.

Parkinson’s disease causes unintended or uncontrollable movements or rigidity, as well as difficulty with balance and coordination. Atypical Parkinsonism patients have additional features such as cognitive deficits and difficulty regulating blood pressure and other automatic bodily functions, including vision.

Lee Isaac, Psy.D., a neuropsychologist at UAMS, discussed caregiver burden, which encompasses the physical, emotional and financial toll experienced by those who perform daily tasks for Parkinson’s patients. These tasks can include managing medication, bathing them or simply providing emotional support.

“As caregivers, you are the backbone of caring for the Parkinson’s patient,” Isaac said. “You’re the boots on the ground, and with that comes additional burdens and stress. It affects your physical, emotional, financial, relational and social self.”

As many as one-third of caregivers will experience high-level burdens, he said. In fact, he said, there are as many as 48 million unpaid or informal caregivers across the country who devote at least 20 hours every week to their duties helping people with chronic health conditions.

Isaac said resources are available to help caregivers lighten the tolls that their duties impose, and he encouraged them to take advantage of them. He urged them to join support groups, noting that other caregivers can “provide relatable, real-life advice.”

Caregivers need to take time away from their caregiving duties to do something for themselves, he said, whether it be going on a trip or just spending time alone. He noted that seemingly little things, such as putting their bills on autopay, can provide much-needed relief from stress.

“The goal is to off-load something you no longer need to do, to give you peace of mind,” Isaac said. “The acceptance of help is very important. It’s not a sign of weakness or failure.”

Caregivers with high levels of caregiver burden tend to have increased medical and psychological needs — so much so that their risk of death has been shown to be as much as 63% higher than other caregivers, Isaac said. He also pointed out that by ignoring their own needs, caregivers can also negatively affect the patient they are trying to help.

He urged people who know caregivers to be aware of signs of emotional and physical fatigue, describing true caregiver fatigue as “the kind that doesn’t get better with sleep.”

He said caregivers also might experience changes in sleep patterns and weight, increased anxiety and depression, and a sense of being helpless or hopeless.

“All of these are important signs,” he said. “If you notice them, that is a good time to react, to intervene.”

Rohit Dhall, M.D., the chair of the Department of Neurology, echoed Isaac’s remarks, adding that it’s important for caregivers to always have “a safe space to exchange information,” such as in support groups. He said there are UAMS support groups specifically for caregivers of Parkinson’s and Atypical Parkinsonism patients.

UAMS is one of a handful of centers across the country to be designated a Comprehensive Care Center by the Parkinson’s Foundation Global Care Network. The designation recognizes Parkinson’s centers that provide comprehensive clinical care and uphold rigorous standards of excellence in community education, outreach and resources.

For information on support services for patients and caregivers, email SJDhall@uams.edu.

To listen to a recording of the symposium, please visit: medicine.uams.edu/neurosurgery/events/ps2025/