Caregivers play a crucial role in the lives of people with essential tremor (ET), offering vital support in day-to-day activities, managing symptoms and providing emotional encouragement. For those with ET, a caregiver’s understanding and patience can make a significant difference, especially during challenging times when tremors interfere with tasks like eating, writing, or personal care.
By equipping caregivers with knowledge and resources, we aim to strengthen their ability to provide compassionate care while also taking care of their own well-being.
Healthy Ways to Overcome Caregiver Burnout February 27, 2025
(From the February/March 2025 issue of Brain & Life Magazine) Tracy Cram Perkins understands the toll of caregiving. For more than 16 years, she looked after her parents, an uncle, and an aunt—all battling different forms of dementia. Her mother experienced postoperative cognitive decline following anesthesia, her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, an aunt had vascular […]
Male Caregivers Share Experiences and Unique Challenges November 21, 2024
This article was originally published on Brain & Life by Paul Wynn. Most caregiving is still done by women, but the number of male caregivers—and support systems for them—is growing. Jim and Kathy Lane were married in September 1990 when both were in their early thirties. Six months later, Kathy was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). […]
Don’t Pet the Service Person, He’s Working November 9, 2020
By Dave Sevart, caregiver Forty plus years ago, my then fiancée, Rita, asked if it bothered me that sometimes her hands were shaky. I said, “No,” as I figured that was going to be the “in sickness and in health” part of our wedding vows. Forty years later, the marriage vows should have included “ET […]