My Mother and Parkinsons

[Jaclyn's dad is a brainy guy, a mathematician in his pre-retirement years.  She's noticing changes, which her mom is covering up. He can't keep track of their finances any longer. Jaclyn knows this isn't the Dad she's used to.

Mom just steps in and does what Dad is forgetting.  He forgot, for instance, how to make coffee.  He's been making coffee for decades.  He forgot the steps. He didn't remember them later.   He got lost driving home.  Is that "normal" because he's 86?  It isn't.  Both of these memory issues are signs of trouble brewing.

Dad refused to try a new card game, something he's always loved to do in the past.  He is having more and more trouble learning any new information, say nothing of keeping track of the information he already knows.

Jaclyn wants to help, but is afraid to bring up the subject of what she sees.  Mom will just deny a problem and say Dad is fine, just getting old.

Does it matter whether Dad goes to see a  neurologist?  Yes. At least that can help sort out the behavior that is not what the family is used to seeing and rule out various causes.  Medication interactions, infections, stroke, and even dehydration can cause changes in brain function and behavior.  It's good to find out possible reasons for the memory problems and learn whether they can be treated.

A doctor generally won't diagnose Alzheimer's Disease unless there is enough evidence from testing and examining a patient to give the physician reasons to do so.  There's no one test to tell you if your aging parent has it or not.  We get clues and doctors draw reasonable conclusions from them, but it's not a precise thing.] Source: Forbes

[Some other research has shown that people who drink caffeine — which is found in coffee, tea and cola — get Parkinson's disease less often than those who don't drink it. ] Source: Mayoclinic

Emotional Trauma may accelerate dementia..

Dr. Widnell, "stress and anxiety and sleep deprivation always make tremor worse." Source:ABC4