Next Steps

Follow-up

A person with Parkinson disease and dementia requires regular checkups with his or her health care provider.

• These checkups allow the health care provider to see how well treatment is working and make adjustments as necessary.
  
  
• They allow detection of new problems of cognition, mood, or behavior that could benefit from treatment.
  
  
• These visits also give the family caregiver(s) an opportunity to discuss problems in the individual’s care.

Eventually, the person with PD and dementia will become unable to care for himself or herself or even to make decisions about his or her care.

• It is best for the person to discuss future care arrangements with family members as early as possible, so that his or her wishes can be clarified and documented for the future.
  
  
• Your health care provider can advise you about legal arrangements that should be made to ensure that these wishes are observed.