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Or are delusions and hallucinations inevitable? If you have no caregiver or support system and close friends have drifted away who makes the detemination that you are not mentally competent? Who decides if you need to be institutionalized?

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My uncle was diagnosed with Parkinson when he was in his late 60’s. He didn’t show signs of dementia until his early 80’s - along with a whole lot of other medical issues.

So maybe the dementia was related to Parkinson or maybe to one of the other health problems. Maybe he would have developed dementia anyhow - regardless of his physical issues.

Or - maybe not. My father - brother to this uncle - passed away the night before his 85 birthday without ever showing any signs of dementia.
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A man in Church had Parkinsons and I didn't notice anything cognitive wise until his last year before he died. He was 89. He allso kept active.

I agree, there are communities where u start out in independent living, then ALZ and then a LTC. If money runs out while in the LTC Medicaid will take over. Maybe even the ALZ after a couple of years. I like the idea of finding a lawyer for your POA.
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The ALZ society says 50 - 80% of parkinson's sufferers will get dementia (that's a huge variation isn't it?), and don't forget that having parkinson's doesn't exclude anyone from developing other forms of dementia. I expect that the older you get the more likely that some kind of dementia will arise.
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You should find someone you trust or if you have a lawyer that has helped you with paperwork (please have that done if you have not, P.O.L.S.T, or DNR as well as any trusts) you could make the lawyer your POA.
You can decide at what point you would need help and from that point you can decide you would be placed in Memory Care of in Assisted Living. (Or if you live in a state where Medically Assisted Suicide is legal and if that is what you wish then you can decide that...there are a lot of legalities with that so decide what needs to be done if this is your option)
So pretty much YOU decide, along with your doctors if you are competent. There are Medical Care Managers that can assist you with some medical choices and they can also help determine when it is no longer safe for you to remain on your own.
Your option now depending on where you live is to move now into a community where you will be able to remain moving from an Active adult, to Assisted Living, to Memory Care to full Nursing care. The important thing is to be in a home that you can fully function with safety.

Just read your profile..you are caring for your Mom, in your home that is a lot on your plate I do hope you have help. You do not need a lot of stress yourself, you have to take care of yourself first.
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magnolia1 Sep 2018
It has been a long time since I have looked at the forum. I partially paralyzed my arm (resolved) and was overwhelmed. I told my mother she had to go into assisted living. She flatly refused to go alone. I moved with her into an independent/assisted living community, but kept my house. I planned on returning home after mom got acclimated. My mother passed away after one year and five years later, I am still here in independent living. After a couple of years, I sold the house. I have updated my profile. I did not realize people could see all that.

Thank you for your informed and kind response.
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