Objective: The aim of the meta-synthesis is to explore the literature to understand the role of caregiver contribution to the self-care in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: People with PD may experience poor quality of life due to a variety of physical and psychological symptoms. Evidence suggests that self-care, a naturalistic decision-making process involving maintenance, monitoring, and management, positively impacts disease outcomes in chronic conditions. Similar to other chronic diseases, informal caregivers (family, relatives, and friends) may play a crucial role in supporting self-care in patients with PD.

Method: A metasynthesis was conducted following the approach of Sandelowski and Barroso. Major databases were searched, and the selected articles underwent critical appraisal using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist.

Results: In total, 52 articles were found, with quality scores varying from 70% to 100%. It emerges that caregivers play a crucial role in supporting self-care in Parkinson’s disease across maintenance, monitoring, and management. In maintenance, they assist with daily activities, medication, prevention of falls, nutrition, and emotional support, especially during cognitive decline or crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. In monitoring, caregivers observe symptoms, adapt daily routines, and assess fall risks, though they may struggle with symptom severity evaluation. In management, they aid in fall prevention, communication, impulsive behaviors, and psychotic symptoms, using strategies like modifying environments, encouraging movement, and assisting with self-medication in DBS patients.

Conclusion: This meta-synthesis highlights the essential role of caregivers in supporting self-care for Parkinson’s disease, particularly in managing the home, providing physical and emotional assistance, and ensuring medication adherence. With PD’s progressive cognitive decline, caregivers play a key role in addressing motor symptoms, fall prevention, and psychological support. Caregiver contribution emerges as a cross-cutting aspect across all self-care dimensions, emphasizing its centrality in managing the chronic and degenerative challenges of PD.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/caregiver-contribution-to-self-care-in-people-with-parkisons-disease-a-meta-synthesis/