Help!! My mom REFUSES to be alone!

More than half of people who have Parkinson's Disease develop dementia. The dementia can show up ten years after original PD diagnosis. And it can also show up much earlier. If the dementia symptoms start within one year of the Parkinson symptoms, the condition is considered Lewy Body Dementia. (Please note. I am not saying that your mother has any kind of dementia. But you should be aware of the possibility.)

PDD and LBD progress in different ways than ALZ does. Most general dementia descriptions are based on ALZ, so some of what you read will not match the behavior of a person with PDD or LBD.

Delusions and visual hallucinations occur early in PDD or LBD. I wonder if your mom is seeing things that frighten her? Has she mentioned anything that might indicate that? Delusions are false beliefs. What does she believe will happen to her if she is left alone? I wonder if she "saw" her "attacker"? Did she describe him? I heard this story at an LBD conference: Man checks into motel with wife. A little later wife runs into the office saying a strange man is in her room. She is terrified. Clerk calls police and asks where her husband is. She is confused. Husband? Why would her husband be here? A little later the officer comes into the office with a man and says, "Ma'am, look who I found -- your husabnd!" She runs into his arms and is very grateful that she is not in danger. She had early stage LBD and temporarily believed her husband to be a stranger. It is a good thing the officer was willing to test out the man's explanation, and that his wife recognized him by then!

What kinds of things do you believe that your mother can do that she insists she needs help with?

Does your mother have sleep disturbances?

I am so glad you are scheduled with a doctor soon. Be as detailed as you can be in your description of her behavior.

Oops -just saw that she is not on meds. I suspect she needs some, even for her behaviour. Yes, people can live with PD for a long time.

I agree with cdnreader that your mother may need a facility with some care, not just independent living.

Again report this to her doctor as a change in her behaviour. I am so sorry that you have this to deal with and sorry that your mum is going through this. I know it is very overwhelming

Many seniors do not want to move from the familiar. Does she have Alz as well as Parkinson's? I would contact her doctor to report her behaviour. Has she has been very manipulative all her life? Even then, it seems to me that this is likely due to the disease which, I have read, can be manifested by behavioural changes as well as loss of motor skills. Do contact a Parkinson's Association and find out all you can about the disease. Hopefully her doctor can find some medication that will help her.

Thank you so very much for your answers, I already feel less alone!

(((((hugs)))) I and others have found that early in these diseases it appears their parent is unwilling to do things for themselves that we think they can do.. I remember thinking that of my mother, who was always very demanding and wanted to be the center of attention. Looking back now, I am not so sure all of her demands were just attention seeking. Certainly when anyone is diagnosed with a serious condition their insecurities will tend to rise and, for some, that means they will want more attention and help. But, along with that, we have to recognise that the disease itself is having an effect. It is impossible to know exactly what causes what, and in the short and the long run you have to deal with it regardless.

Please be sure to look after you as you go through this. Caregiving, even not hands on, is very stressful.

Very good point about a UTI, Barb. Mother never had  one so I don't think of it.

A "twisted" urethra? Like a stricture?
If she needed a dilation, she may have had urine backing up and that could cause a bladder infection. Please have him explain what he did and what the result of the urinalysis was.

Yes Sue, that's what she told me. I wasn't with her at that appointment, but I hope I can find out more info.

No. No pain many times. Just dementia type symptoms. Not the type of symptoms you might expect such as burning, etc.
Get her checked.

I will definitely have her checked for a UTI. I have 2 doctor appointments set up for her next week.
Golden, I'm feeling that way now, not sure what is her demands or The disease. It's been so scary seeing her go thru this. I just wasn't sure if her outbursts were normal. And she will call and call and call and call.. I had 4 call in 1 minute tonight. (I was getting my laundry)

Ok, I'll definitely have her checked!