Dementia and Comorbidities

I knew that there were similarities between Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinsons, but I have only just realised how close they are linked

People with Dementia and memory problems struggle with other problems,  but it's not always taken on board

Over the years I have struggled to get my words out when I am in a group of people, or in a meeting, and thinking of the answers to topics fast enough, is something  I was good at in the past, but these days I struggle.

This can occasionally  lead to me getting frustrated and agitated at times,  because i cannot get the words out, or think or the correct words, when i need to,  and sometimes the conversation changes so fast that it's a waste of time.

This means that fast moving conversations and topics can be very hard to keep up at times, because you think of questions but are not allowed to interrupt until it's too late, by which time it's all forgotten

I understand that this is all because it takes my brain longer to process things and  to get my thoughts together these days, and consider my answers.

This usually means that by the time I am ready to speak the topic has moved on,  and this in turn can lead to agitation which can be embarrassing and upsetting.

Yet when I am giving a talk or presentation in a large room with lots of people, it does not seem to bother me.

I guess that's because there is only one person talking at the time

I noticed this a few years ago, but thought it was just my memory playing up at the time

This was discussed on friday at a balance clinic which deals with Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinsons

It seems that my planning is not as good as it used to be, and this also means it takes me longer to work out normal things these days

After being shown a Parkinsons Disease fact sheet it all started to make sense to me, because it seems that it's part of the illness.

There are times when the tone of my voice changes and that can be frustrating especially when you use technology to assist you in doing tasks like computer work.

I had also realised over the last few years that my voice changes from day, and sometimes every hour, and this in turn causes problems when using voice activated software on my computer.

One day it recognises my voice and works, while the next time it does not recognise my voice and does not work

Parkinsons

If you have Parkinson's, you may find you have some problems with your speech.

People with Parkinson's may find that they have problems with different kinds of speech and communication, including facial expressions, writing and finding the right words to express their views

For example, your speech may be slurred, your voice hoarse, unsteady, or quieter than it used to be.

You may find it hard to control how quickly you speak or you may find it difficult to start talking.

People with Parkinson's may find their voice sounds monotonous.

These problems can make everyday activities difficult, such as talking to friends difficult

This is something I found a few years ago after listening to a recording of my voice. It had changed a lot since I was working and I could not believe that it was my voice I was listening too, and felt like deleting it all

Taking the lead in conversations may e challenging at times

Taking the lead in a conversation or presentation can be very challenging at times, but I have learnt to write things down in advance, so that I dont get confused or Lose the plot,