Early PD already w/ signs of dementia
 

My mother, age 68, was diagnosed in the last 9 months with PD and her physical symptoms I think are pretty common for someone in the early stages. She can still dress herself, though it isn't as easy, and she is still able to drive, she passed the doctor's tests for that.

My main concern is with her cognitive decline especially concerning that she is in the early stages of this disease. She has enormous trouble completing tasks that just a year or two ago would be no problem for her, such as book keeping and paperwork sorts of things. She is constantly forgetting how to do certain things with her iPhone and computer that she would have had no problems with not too long ago. She has trouble staying focused on one thing and is constantly just going from one thing to another never completing any of them.

I am trying to come up with ways to help her continue to get things accomplished so that her self confidence is not eroded but the problem is that any tips or tricks that she and I come up with are forgotten until I bring them up again. We, my dad and I, want her to stay busy and do mental and physical tasks but it is becoming clear that a lot of the things that she has been in charge of for the last 20-30 years we can't allow her to continue to do. These are things that deal with money namely. We just don't know how to take these things away without hurting her self esteem and what we can replace them with that will provide her with a sense of accomplishment.

So I guess I am just looking for other people's experience with dementia from Parkinson's, especially if it came in the early stages of the disease.

I've gathered that as far as medicines are concerned they don't really have much effect on the cognitive side of things. So what are some tips or advice to help her and us cope with her declining cognition?

Are there any medicines (approved or not) that may help with this?

I'm 34 years old and don't live with my parents so I am not there all of the time and I'm seriously worried about the stress that this is having on my father. He is really hurting inside from watching his friend and partner begin to vanish before his eyes, along with the fact that we still have grandparents and grandaunts and uncles that are still alive but also declining rapidly.

This has been a bit long so I will stop but I would appreciate any words that someone can offer. Thank you

Hi j_in_ky

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

I can relate to your situation - an uncle of mine was diagnosed with PD with some associated cognitive decline at about the same age as your mother.

He got a lot of help from a neurologist who had expertise in working with older people with PD and cognitive decline.

Maybe this is something that you could talk with your mother about?

All the best.

It could even be a separate condition, has anyone in her family had Alzheimer's?
It might be good to get an evaluation for it just in case..

If you can encourage some crafts or hobbies that are simple that might help.
Will your dad be able to take over the bills and such, or perhaps if they do them together , she will eventually let him take over that job..

Many bills can be set up to pay online automatically with credit card , then just a single payment once a month to pay off that balance.

I'd like to get my parents bills set up that way , but no go yet LOL..
all those stamps & envelopes & the fuel/time for postal workers & trucks... when you can do it online...:eek:

Is your mom on pd meds? Many of those cause confusion. I had terrible problems with pd meds affecting my mind negatively so I quit in 2009 and my cognition returned to normal. Now I prefer to treat my pd, which is advanced, with ldn (low dose naltrexone), dopavite, b12 injections, L 5 methylfolate and I'm looking into high dose b1 (thiamine). I prefer to put up with more physical symptoms than lose my mind. A dopamine agonist, mirapexin, put me into psychosis! I'm 54. Daily yoga and meditation also play a huge role in my well being.

Given that your mom is not early onset, she could get a long way on dopavite supplement which has no side effects but takes weeks/months to kick in.