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My mother is 91 with moderately/severe dementia. For about 10-12 years she has had a type of head bobble, esp. when she was reading; that’s when we first noticed. She said she was unaware of it...didn’t seem to interfere with anything and let it go. FF now...she is very wobbly when walking and has twitchy hands and feet while resting and watching TV. Could this be Parkinsons, or just progressive dementia (which has really gotten bad in the last year or two)? I guess it really doesn’t matter at this point...just curious. Thanks for any input.

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Head bobbing is also a symptom hyperthyroidism.
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Go see a neurologist. They do an extremely thorough examination and can tell you if it is Parkinson’s disease. My mom has Parkinson’s disease.

She did not know that she had it. No one in the family did. She had been healthy her entire life. She had only been in the hospital to have her children and later for a partial hysterectomy.

She was having some issues. I cant remember specifically what they were and went to the hospital. She just didn’t feel well.

The doctor came in mom’s hospital room to speak to me. She told me point blank, matter of factly, “Your mother has Parkinson’s disease.”

My response was, “No, she doesn’t. She would have told me if she had a disease. She has been healthy her entire life.” I think that I was in shock and didn’t want to accept that mom had Parkinson’s disease.

The doctor looked at me with compassion and she asked me to make an appointment with a neurologist and that he would explain everything to me. She said that my mom had all of the classic symptoms, especially the shuffling of her feet. I just thought that she was slowing down due to age.

I was not familiar enough to know all of the symptoms of the disease. I had only known one elderly man that had it and I wasn’t close to him. I was close to his wife, not him.

I took mom to the neurologist and sure enough, she had Parkinson’s disease and started on meds.

I hope you find answers soon.
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It could be essential tremors as mentioned below. I've had them for over 30 yrs but only in my hand. Had to switch from being right handed to left handed (can't even read my own writing now!). Tremors are non life threatening and at 91 I wouldn't be too concerned about them.

However, dementia and Parkinson's can co-exist. With the problems of her lower body, she could very well be exhibiting symptoms of Parkingson's. You may be right, it might not matter at this point. Knowing, though, might allow you to be a better caregiver.
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My first guess would be essential tremor - like Katherine Hepburn.
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AlvaDeer Sep 2020
Wow, CWillie. Great observation. I had no idea that Katherine H. had essential tremor. Apparently was in her family. They said when I just googled that often essential tremor will also hit the voicebox, whereas Parkinson's doesn't. You get my Mystery Solver Old Nurse Trophy for this week.
Middlekid, discuss this with your Mom's doc on her next visit.
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