DEMENTIA OR NORMAL AGING?

Forgive the delay in posting! It has been long, hard year for us, as I'm sure it has been for everyone else. I won't bore you with all of the details, but suffice to say, we've had many hurdles to jump, and by God's grace have come over them (the really big ones, at least)!

Jamey's Parkinson's has progressed as expected. We are managing it as best we can. Although he is only 63, he is in the final stages of the disease because he was diagnosed so early (25+ years now). That is not to say he will leave this world soon--I suspect he will outlive me, and probably many of our friends! He continues to stay healthy other than the PD, which is a blessing!

As we both age, we're seeing signs of memory and cognition loss which prompted me to research whether we need to start being concerned, especially about PD dementia.

PDD (Parkinson's Disease Dementia) is most often diagnosed when a person living with PD, experiences significant cognitive decline after a year or more of motor symptoms. It typically takes place after MANY years of symptoms, which of course, is Jamey's  scenario.

PDD can also present as DLB (Dementia with Lewy Bodies) which is diagnosed when cognitive decline is noticed in the earliest symptoms, or when cognitive decline and motor symptoms begin and progress together. This can also be called Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

Signs for PDD can range from forgetting how to do simple tasks, to difficulty concentrating, learning, remembering or problem-solving. Not to be confused with short term memory loss from medication or age; it's not always easy to tell the difference.

Some of the noticeable changes are:

• Changes in memory, concentration and judgment
• Trouble interpreting visual information
• Muffled speech
• Visual hallucinations*
• Delusions, especially paranoid ideas
• Depression, irritability and anxiety
• Sleep disturbances, including excessive daytime drowsiness and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep disorder.

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*There are generally three stages building up to hallucinations with Parkinson's; illusions, delusions, and hallucinations.

Illusions are what many of us experience as we get older--nothing to be alarmed about. An illusion is something often seen out of the corner of your eye; sometimes mimicking a cat or small rodent. When you turn your head and move your eyes toward the illusion, the illusion disappears and you're able to see clearly that is isn't what you first thought. 

Delusions occur when you see something unusual out the corner or your eye, turn to look at it, and still see it. It may stay for sometime, or go away fairly quickly. The apparition deludes you into believing it is actually there. You might acknowledge or converse with it.

An hallucination is something you see and believe to be real, so much so, you actually interact with it. The hallucination takes on its own persona and may even talk back to you. When full-on conversations take place, that is a major concern.

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Parkinson's Dementia is different from other dementias in several ways. The Person with PDD tends not to forget who the people are in their lives. They don't go back to a certain time period to take care of unfinished business. And they seem to keep their wits about them for the most part (sans the hallucinations). It will primarily affect cognition and ADLs (Activities of Daily Living).

Continue to work with your loved one's neurologist and doctor. Some of the progression can be slowed down and others, managed. PDD is a horrible condition, but likely, much easier to live with than other dementias. However, ask me again in a year and I might tell you something different--we're just beginning now!😄

I want to share this beautiful poem for Caregivers. It really touched my heart because it's so true!