Hi everyone. Unlike most of you, I'm not full time caregiver...yet. I don't know which parent or if it will be both of them will be here with us when the time comes. My dad is 90, in relatively good health, and cares for my mom for the most part. Mom is 86, has Parkinson's, and yesterday we got the official word from her Neuro that she is in early Parkinson's dementia. We suspected it, as she has become very anxious, unreasonable, repetitive and paranoid. She is up at all hours of the night walking...and sometimes eating or moving things around. Some of this behavior is likely from the PD meds. Doctor is trying to pare the meds down. My poor dad tries his best, but I know it is wearing him down. I'm over there almost every day, she has a home health nurse, PT, OT, personal aide and social worker visiting once or twice a week each. I take her/ them to all doctor appointments, and am on the phone regularly with her nurse and all therapists, etc. my dad is still pretty independent, drives, cooks, and builds birdhouses! I have partial responsibility of 2 of my grandchildren as well as my hubby, who is my rock. Right now, I'm just trying to figure my life out. Do we sell the house we built 14 years ago and go into a one level? The house is very big, has all my mom would need on the main floor, but the temptation of the stairs scares me. I feel terrible having to reprimand her for stopping her potassium because it tastes bad, or not using the prescription cream on her legs for Neuropathy. But sometimes she is just going to do things her way! She CAN do a lot of things, but refuses to try. I know puzzle books, reading, etc., calms her...but she won't do it. Ok....that's the vent part. Now my question...does anyone else deal with PD dementia? What can I expect? I have read that it can actually lead to Alzheimer's in some cases. Anyone?
Also important are co-morbidities, like diabetes, heart failure, kidney or liver failure. All these play in to how the patient is treated. Taking your parents in when they need 24/7 leads to disaster more often than not. One person suddenly finds themselves working three shifts of care, with no days off. Your mom seems to have excellent care at home for now. You see how this wears your father down, it won't be any less stressful for you. Nor have you considered how this will affect your husband, children and grandchildren. You have enough on your plate right now. Add more and it will overflow. Avoid the temptation to let your hero cape unfurl, read more of the posts here. Read posts on alz.org and maybe even join a support group nearby? Don't have time? If you can't spare an hour once a month, you can't take anymore on. As for your house, you could block the stairs, but you would also have to lock the outside doors so she can't wander off. You would have to turn off the stove when you are not in the kitchen. You would have to replace the tub with a walk-in tub and make the faucets self-shutoff. Sharps would be locked up, breakables put away. Area rugs have to be removed. Handrails are needed in all walkways. An Occupational Therapist can give you a home inspection. There's a lot to be done to make it safe.