PARKINSONS DISEASE DEMENTIA TIMELINE

The experiences described in this book attempt to fill a gap in the information available to the Parkinson s disease / dementia patient s caregiver. It is an account of a single patient and the progress, both physical and cognitive, which might serve as a guide to those about to embark on this journey. It follows the changes in one patient, from the first sign of illogic through the increasing frequency of evidence of cognitive inability. Normal routine was maintained throughout the decline, but physical and mental changes made it necessary to adapt new strategies. This synopsis points out these changes, both minor and significant, and shows how the caregiver coped. The combination of illogic with the increasing inability to move or speak presents a challenge to the Parkinson s disease / dementia patient s caregiver. The progress of the disease frequently cited by physicians was opaque. This account tries to shed light on how that progress is manifested._,