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Sue, daughter of Rocky - I notice that many people have written to assure you that in spite of the mask, your father's mind is still sharp. I hesitated to respond, because I didn't want to be a "wet blanket." However, it seems to me that it's better to be aware of the possibility that at age 70-something, with PD for 15 years, it's quite possible that he has cognitive impairment. It's a part of PD for many, though probably not all, PWP as the disease progresses. It's pretty much a "given" that his mind will work better when his medication is working well - that is, when he's "on". That would account for the fluctuations not only day to day, but within a given day. Another factor that can affect memory and cognitive ability is depression. The best things you can do for your father are a) make sure he's taking an adequate amount of medication - Sinemet, etc., b) if there are signs of depression, check into getting him on an antidepressant if he's not on one already, and c) love him and keep trying to make that human connection. It sounds as if you're already doing the latter. Best of luck to you both. Margie Swindler, cg for Dick, 52/15 [log in to unmask]