--- title: Neil Diamond Was Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease description: Neil Diamond will retire from touring after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Here's what to know about the disease and its symptoms canonical: https://time.com/5114302/neil-diamond-parkinsons-disease/ author: Jamie Ducharme article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-01-23T15:51:33.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:53:43.257Z article:section: Health og:title: Neil Diamond Was Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease og:description: Here's what to know about the condition og:url: https://time.com/5114302/neil-diamond-parkinsons-disease/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4078e60404ae2ccc/6988f92b22fb85206ae24781/neil-diamond.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: 2017 Pre-GRAMMY Gala And Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Debra Lee - Show og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Neil Diamond Was Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease twitter:description: Here's what to know about the condition twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4078e60404ae2ccc/6988f92b22fb85206ae24781/neil-diamond.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 03:16 video:published: 2014-11-18 section: health topics: Parkinson's disease, caregiving, family relationships, dementia-related memory loss, daily care demands, role reversal, emotional toll of illness, end-of-life awareness genre: documentary, personal testimony tones: intimate, somber, loving, candid, reflective emotions: sadness (high), love (high), fear (medium), exhaustion (medium), nostalgia (low) sentiment: negative audience: caregivers, families of Parkinson's patients, health readers, people interested in caregiving people: Tammy Copeland, Eleanor Copeland content_suitability: health controversy [00:53-01:05]; death [02:36-02:47]; health controversy [01:39-01:52] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Neil Diamond Was Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Here's What To Know About the Condition > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. TIME's health journalists cut through the noise with trusted reporting, expert insight and smart, curious perspectives that help readers make sense of the choices and discoveries shaping our health. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=e30ff395-6f92-44cb-8eb1-f82df9842579&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Taking Care: An Intimate Look At One Family's Life With Parkinsons [Watch (HLS stream): Taking Care: An Intimate Look At One Family's Life With Parkinsons](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/tQQDED2R.m3u8) (3:16)  _Published 2014-11-18. In this installation of TIME's series on caregiving, photographer Abby Kraftowitz documents the Copeman family's experience with Parkinson's disease_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary Tammy Copeland describes caring for her mother Eleanor, who is in the advanced stages of Parkinson's disease, with her father. She explains how the illness's fluctuating symptoms, the physical demands of 24/7 care, and the reversal of roles have affected her family. She also describes her mother's emotional awareness of her condition and her own motivation to provide the best care possible. ## Key points - Eleanor loved dancing, wanted to be a ballerina, enjoyed cooking and being with her family, and was intense about cleaning. (00:01) - Tammy Copeland and her father are Eleanor's primary caretakers, and Eleanor is in the advanced stages of Parkinson's disease. (00:29) - Early in the illness, sometimes nothing was visibly wrong, but as it progressed, people could tell something was wrong. (00:43) - Parkinson's symptoms are on and off, producing good days and bad days, with scrambled thinking, muscular rigidity, leg weakness, and intermittent swallowing difficulty. (00:53) - Tammy says her father has had to switch roles and become the caretaker, doing cooking and dressing. (01:22) - Caring for someone with Parkinson's requires being on 24/7, watching closely for falls and for what Eleanor drops on the floor. (01:39) - Tammy says she expected that Eleanor might one day not recognize her, after reading the book about the disease. (02:03) - Tammy says the hardest emotional moment is when Eleanor knows what is happening to her and is afraid of dying. (02:36) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:29] Eleanor's life before the illness. Tammy recalls her mother's personality and interests before Parkinson's took hold. - [00:29 to 01:22] Introducing the illness and caregivers. Tammy identifies her mother's condition, the caregivers, and how symptoms have varied over time. - [01:22 to 02:03] Changed roles and daily care demands. Tammy describes her father's shift into the caretaker role and the intense daily demands of care. - [02:03 to 02:40] Facing memory loss and awareness. Tammy discusses anticipating memory loss and the painful awareness her mother still has. - [02:40 to 03:16] Motivation behind caregiving. Tammy explains her emotional closeness to her mother and why caring for her is important to her. ## Key quotes - [00:07] Tammy Copeland: "My mother loved to dance. That was her favorite thing ever, she wanted to be a ballerina." - [01:22] Tammy Copeland: "The biggest challenge for my dad has been, I guess, switching roles." - [01:39] Tammy Copeland: "Physically taking care of someone with Parkinson's. Is very intense." - [02:03] Tammy Copeland: "I expected that there's gonna be a time that she doesn't know who I am." - [02:36] Tammy Copeland: "Emotionally, the hardest one is when she knows if, if she knows" ## Questions this video answers - What is Eleanor Copeland's medical condition? [00:29] - Who provides the primary care for Eleanor? [00:29] - How has caring for Eleanor changed her husband's role in the family? [01:18] - What does the daily physical care of someone with Parkinson's involve? [01:39] - What is the most emotionally difficult part of caring for Eleanor, according to Tammy? [02:36] - Why does Tammy say she is dedicating her time to caring for her mother? [02:52] ## Content suitability - health controversy [00:53-01:05]: Describes progressive, severe neurological symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including rigidity, leg weakness, and swallowing difficulty. - death [02:36-02:47]: Mentions the patient being afraid of dying. - health controversy [01:39-01:52]: Describes intense, around-the-clock caregiving demands and falling risks.  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Jan 23, 2018 3:51 PM UTC  Neil Diamond performs onstage during the 2017 Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons. Neil Diamond performs onstage during the 2017 Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons. Scott Dudelson—Getty Images  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Jan 23, 2018 3:51 PM UTC After half a century on the stage, musician Neil Diamond [announced on Monday](http://www.neildiamond.com/news/neil-diamond-announces-retirement-concert-touring-australian-new-zealand-tour-dates-cancelled/) that he’s [retiring from touring due to a recent Parkinson’s disease diagnosis](http://time.com/5113859/neil-diamond-retire-parkinsons-disease/). Diamond, who turns 77 on Jan. 24, was about to begin the third leg of his 50th anniversary tour. In a statement posted on his website, the “Sweet Caroline” singer said that while he will no longer perform live, he will continue to write and record for “a long time to come.” “It is with great reluctance and disappointment that I announce my retirement from concert touring. I have been so honored to bring my shows to the public for the past 50 years,” Diamond said in the statement. “My sincerest apologies to everyone who purchased tickets and were planning to come to the upcoming shows.” Here’s what to know about the condition. ## What is Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s is a progressive, degenerative disease that affects nervous system function, [according to the Mayo Clinic](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055). In people with Parkinson’s, nerve cells in the brain, called neurons, progressively malfunction or die off. This, in turn, prevents the brain from producing enough dopamine, a chemical that acts as a messenger for brain signals that control movement, coordination and other key functions, [according to the Cleveland Clinic](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8525-parkinsons-disease-an-overview). ## What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease? Hand tremors are often the first sign that something is wrong, the Mayo Clinic says. Other early symptoms include minor physical impairments — such as a lack of facial expressions, or arms failing to swing as a person walks — and soft or slurred speech. Mobility and speech impairments get more severe as the disease progresses, the Mayo Clinic adds, until eventually daily activities and bodily functions become difficult to complete. ## Why do people get Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s is most commonly seen in adults older than 50 and is more frequent in men than women, [according to the American Parkinson Disease Association](https://www.apdaparkinson.org/what-is-parkinsons/causes/) (APDA). Doctors aren’t totally sure why people get Parkinson’s, though there is evidence that genetics may play a role in some cases, according to the APDA. Other risk factors may include repeated head trauma and [exposure](http://time.com/4139/the-pesticide-on-your-fruit-may-lead-to-parkinsons/) to [certain chemicals](http://time.com/4143358/milk-parkinsons-disease-pesticides/) or heavy metals. ## How is Parkinson’s disease treated? There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s, although medications that mimic or enhance the effects of dopamine, in conjunction with physical therapy and diet and exercise interventions, may help reduce symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. In advanced cases, doctors may also implant signal-carrying electrical sensors into the brain in hopes of mitigating some symptoms, the Mayo Clinic adds. Though it can’t be cured, Parkinson’s itself is not fatal, [the University of Maryland Medical Center notes](https://www.umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/parkinsons-disease). That said, complications stemming from the disease — including decreased motor function and impaired swallowing — can shorten a person’s lifespan. ## Transcript [00:01] Before the disease took hold, now it seems like she [00:03] was just a totally different person. My mother loved to [00:07] dance. That was her favorite thing ever, she wanted to [00:11] be a ballerina. [ LAUGH ] she enjoyed being with her [00:15] family, she loved to cook, I don't know if she loves [00:18] cleaning, but she was. Pretty intense about cleaning. [00:21] [ MUSIC ] [00:29] My name's Tammy Copeland, my mother's name is [00:32] Eleanor, and she's in the advanced stages of [00:36] Parkinson's Disease. My father and I are her primary [00:39] caretakers. [ MUSIC ] in the beginning of the illness, [00:43] sometimes you couldn't tell anything was wrong. And [00:46] then as it progressed, I mean obviously people can tell [00:49] things are wrong. The symptoms are very strange, [00:53] they're on and off. So you have good days and bad. [00:56] But you have dramatically different. Days dramatically [01:01] different presentations of the illness scramble thinking, [01:05] muscular rigidity. She's losing strength in her legs. [01:09] Basically the ability to swallow is on and off. Has [01:15] this changed my parents relationship at all? I would say [01:18] [ MUSIC ] Yes, absolutely. The biggest challenge for [01:22] my dad has been, I guess, switching roles. [01:27] He has had to become the caretaker and he does, he [01:31] does cooking, he does dressing. Physically [01:35] taking care of someone with Parkinson's. Is very [01:39] intense. You have to be on like 24 / 7. You [01:44] have to watch her very closely because of falling [01:48] risks, because of what she's dumping on the floor. [01:52] She's turning, basically, into a baby with what she [01:55] does. You know, I think it's just a whole different level [01:59] of love. Loving your family. Thank God [02:03] I read the book and expected it. I expected [02:07] that there's gonna be a time that she doesn't know [02:10] who I am. So I can be right here beside her, and [02:14] she can be going, where's Tammy? And I'm like, I'm [02:17] right here, Mom, I am Tammy. It's difficult and strange [02:22] because you, again, never know what to expect. She [02:25] definitely has quite a bit of awareness, which almost [02:29] makes a devastating, horrific situation even more [02:33] horrific. Emotionally, the hardest one is when she [02:36] knows if, if she knows [02:40] what's [ MUSIC ] Happening to her and when she's [02:43] afraid of dying and she's basically telling you that. The [02:47] majority of my time has been dedicated to helping [02:52] with the care of my mother. I wanted her to have the [02:54] best care, emotionally I guess i'm so close to my [02:58] mother, it's hard for me not to be here at this point, [03:02] this is. The most special thing you can do [03:06] and, you know, who's more important than your mom. [03:08] [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5114302/neil-diamond-parkinsons-disease/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5114302/neil-diamond-parkinsons-disease/"},"headline":"Neil Diamond Was Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. 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