Mom was placed in a nursing home about 3 months ago. The first month was horrible, she fought with staff, called me 20-30 times a day to scream at me, would accuse me of abandoning her when I visited. She hated the home. Despite her incontinence and multiple falls she didn't feel she needed 24-hour care. After the first 4 weeks she suddenly changed, and I do mean suddenly, like a switch was thrown. She didn't call me for nearly 2 days, so when I dropped in to visit to see how she was, she was fine, lying in her bed. She was drowsy and very pleasant, even surprised I had dropped in. She was nice to me and the staff for about 2 weeks, then for another 2-3 weeks she became difficult again, although not as badly as the first time around. Then she went back to being nice again, for a week or so. Now she's back into being difficult. She's returned to calling me 15+ times a day, and to demand I take her out of the nursing home. Has anyone else experienced this with their loved one with dementia? Lucid and angry then drowsy and friendly. My Mom is somewhere in the mid-stage of dementia, if that matters. Alzheimer's and a bit of vascular is what she's been diagnosed with. Thank you for any insight you can offer.
Mom did all those things. She refused to accept she needed help and was actually caring for herself up until the month before she turned 101. We never knew what mood she would be in, except that it would always be negative.
Then she fell and the downward spiral for the next 5 months was due to her inability to stand or walk or care for herself any more. I think it was mental as well as physical
The best thing you can do is talk to her doctor about getting her medication that will level off her depression and agitation. End of life is hard, and senior depression is awful. It destroys the person and the family. But it can be easier with drugs that level them off and calm them down. We all know we will die some day, I am going to opt for drugs that will ease my fears and sadness and help me to enjoy what time I have left, not to mention leave my family with less bad memories.
Your mom is a nursing home....my X was home with me....I am so blessed to be alive now.