My husband is 71 years old, from the symptoms he has had Parkinsons for about 7 to 8 yrs. He was diagnosed last year and is on Sinemet 3 times a day and Aricept once. He no longer works because he was self employed and felt it was a safety hazard. He just sleeps alot, rarely watches TV with me and talks some. His voice is soft and he sometimes wakes believing his dreams are real, asking me things like where's the baby? We don't have little babies anymore. He also acts out his dreams, moving, kicking, talking. They say he has moved to moderate Parkinsons and Dementia, where is this in stages? I just love him so much and am afraid of losing him. He's already so different but still so loving and caring. Is Parkisonian dementia the same as the others, will he forget who I am? Thank you for any help.
Alzheimer's Dementia follows a fairly predictable course and the "stages" are well documented. That simply is not true for most other kinds of dementia. For you husband, there are deposits of a particular type of protein forming in his brain and interfering with its functioning. Depending on where those deposits form he has physical symptoms (Parkinson's) and/or cognitive symptoms (Lewy Body Dementia). There does not seem to be a predictable pattern to the development. It can start with mostly physical symptoms or mostly cognitive symptoms, for example.
His doctors may tell you that your husband is in a moderate phase or that he is nearly the end or that his symptoms are mild. They will probably not tell you that he is in stage 6 or stage 4 -- that just doesn't apply to your husband's type of disease.
Parkinsons proceeds differently for each patient, but it sounds like you now need to focus on the dementia aspect. You need information and support.
I recently discovered a caregivers support group that meets weekly in my town, and am struggling to carve out the two hours to attend. It is a place for venting, getting advice, sympathy, information - and the rule is that whatever is said in the group stays there, so it also feels very safe.
I urge you to ask the doctor or nurse where your husband was diagnosed for good sources of information and possible support groups.
Keep posting here and searching this site too for information. The experience and compassion of the caregivers posting here is invaluable.
Daddy had Parkinson's. The dementia was the last stage. (That is not true in all patients, so don't just take my word, that's just how dad's progressed) It was sad, and he was depressed because he was aware of it, but we did take excellent care of him and he had a lot of visitors and family. At the end, mother just asked for only family as he didn't know many of us. It's not great and I wish I could paint a better picture. Everyone seems to move on their own timeline with this disease. Daddy, at least, did not experience anger--which is perhaps one of the scarier side effects of Parkinson's. He got sweeter and more loving each day.
I hope you can have the same experience. My heart goes out to you.