Are you sure you want to exit? Your progress will be lost.
Who are you caring for?
Which best describes their mobility?
How well are they maintaining their hygiene?
How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
✔
I acknowledge and authorize
✔
I consent to the collection of my consumer health data.*
✔
I consent to the sharing of my consumer health data with qualified home care agencies.*
*If I am consenting on behalf of someone else, I have the proper authorization to do so. By clicking Get My Results, you agree to our Privacy Policy. You also consent to receive calls and texts, which may be autodialed, from us and our customer communities. Your consent is not a condition to using our service. Please visit our Terms of Use. for information about our privacy practices.
Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
Share a few details and we will match you to trusted home care in your area:
Sounds like she may have allergies which can cause itchy sore throats. An OTC allergy medicine would probably help. Don't think it has anything to do with dementia.
As some have said, it may be nothing they can do anything about, but it may be serious, or it may be something that can be easily treated (e.g., with anti-reflux treatment or dilation) to make her more safe/healthy or at least more comfortable. Unfortunately people often put off dealing with throat issues until it's too late, just managing the symptoms in a way they would never "let it go" in any other part of their body. Sometimes the problem is actually much further down (esophagus), but it still feels like it's in the throat. I urge you to talk to her Primary doctor and an Otolaryngologist (ENT) as a start for the pain. They'll ask about eating habits, her meds, the pain's progression, past surgeries, maybe do a barium swallow test (which helps show things that aren't supposed to be there, not just if her swallow is ok). You don't say how old your mom is, but many things in aging as early as your 40's and certainly after 65 could be causing the problem, and many can be treated to make her more comfortable. And agree as others mentioned that sugar in the mouth all the time is bad for blood sugar and the oral cavity (even if all someone has is dentures), so it's best to address the root cause for many reasons. Hope this helps. Wish you luck. I'm glad your mom has you. So many of this we just learn along the way by noticing "little" things and asking questions. Then asking again.
My mother was has been sucking on strong mints or cough drops as long as I can remember. I think it was partly because she enjoyed it, but since I have become her caregiver I notice that she sometimes is bothered by GERD (acid reflux). Might be worth considering.
You could also make your own cough drops, using natural sweeteners such as stevia.
There's also honey and lemon tea - just a tsp. or Tblsp. of each in hot water makes a nice soothing drink. It's also calming and relaxing, at least for me. Might be a better nighttime substitute than purchased cough drops.
Amitebird, there is validity for using cough drops as a throat moisturizer, especially in the warmer, sometimes drier, rooms that elders seem to prefer.
Add a humidifier to increase the moisture content and see if that makes a difference in the need for nightly cough drops.
I just have to chime in here because my mom's been sucking on cough drops for years. For no apparent reason except maybe because my dad does use them occasionally because he does cough, so maybe mom just wants to imitate him. I'm not sure but I always thought it was bizarre- but most likely just the dementia- another odd symptom of it...
In some foreign countries, cough drops are eaten like candy. My husband's family in Thailand think I'm being silly when I offer them for sore throats or coughs. They eat them every day. My daughter's in-laws are the same way in Egypt. Maybe she just thinks it's candy, or just likes the taste, or sucking sensation.
A caution about menthol -- I've been told that it relaxes muscles which is great for stopping throat spasms but in some folks may lead to loose bowels too.
She most likely is addiction to having them in her mouth. It's funny but we can get addicted to just about anything. My husband is addicted to lip balm. He can't stand dry lips, uses it constantly, then I hear a report about it on TV news they said it is a problem for many. I agree mom should have ENT checked and if she has sugar issues by all means make sure sugar free ones. As to having them in her mouth at night as amitebird's mom well this is a serious choaking hazzard. See if there are some kind of meltaways maybe in children's section, but I almost choked to death on a cough drop when I had a bad cold and went to sleep with it in my mouth, so please be careful. Having a tickle in the throat is so irritating my mom gets it all the time and she has acid reflux disease, so it could be connected to something like that also. Let us know how she's doing. Hope today is a good day for all. Ruth Anne
I suppose you need to find out the reason. Maybe she just likes the taste, either that or her throat bothers her. Maybe her mouth is dry. It says to take every 2 hours and if sugar is a problem for her they have sugar free.
I agree with the honey suggestion - singers have used it for eons. If she enjoys the act of sucking on the cough drop there are sugar free, good tasting ones like honey and lemon from health food stores.
She may just feel more like she's taking medicine if she takes Vicks (therefore "doing something" and it's probably not all that bad, but having her throat checked to make certain there isn't a medical problem wouldn't be a bad move.
More likely, it's allergies or just dry air or even simply habit. But having a doctor check her out won't hurt. Just be prepared for the fact that if it's something serious, there may not be much that can be done anyway without making her life worse. At any rate, I'd discuss this with her doctor so that you feel more at ease.
We'd love an update on this to see how you both are doing. Carol
There must be something going on. My mother, 89, has also been taking coughdrops for the last few years. I actually order them for her in bulk because she only likes Vick's coughdrops and uses them almost every day. She takes it at night mostly, she says it keeps her from coughing at night and waking up and her throat gets sore. My mother does have a few throat issues, mainly a constricting of the throat area that she has to check out with the doctor now and then - once she had her throat physically stretched by the doctor. She checks it out once a year. She also has sinus problems pretty often. Her doctors give a bewildered look when we ask about the cough drops. We often get bewildered looks when it comes to my mother. Does your mother have problems swallowing food? That's another sign of throat constriction. I agree with GardenArtist that she should have her throat checked out specifically. It seems everything either shrinks up or stretches out as we get older.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
There's also honey and lemon tea - just a tsp. or Tblsp. of each in hot water makes a nice soothing drink. It's also calming and relaxing, at least for me. Might be a better nighttime substitute than purchased cough drops.
Amitebird, there is validity for using cough drops as a throat moisturizer, especially in the warmer, sometimes drier, rooms that elders seem to prefer.
Add a humidifier to increase the moisture content and see if that makes a difference in the need for nightly cough drops.
She may just feel more like she's taking medicine if she takes Vicks (therefore "doing something" and it's probably not all that bad, but having her throat checked to make certain there isn't a medical problem wouldn't be a bad move.
More likely, it's allergies or just dry air or even simply habit. But having a doctor check her out won't hurt. Just be prepared for the fact that if it's something serious, there may not be much that can be done anyway without making her life worse. At any rate, I'd discuss this with her doctor so that you feel more at ease.
We'd love an update on this to see how you both are doing.
Carol
I'm wondering though if she has sinus drainage, allergic rhinitis, or some other ENT issue that causes her throat to be sore.
Can't answer the issue on relation to dementia as I haven't had any experience with taking something on a long term basis.
I would take her to an ENT doctor just to make sure there's nothing going on in her throat or sinuses.