Follow
Share

My mom is 92 with later stages of dementia and pretty healthy. My mom is taking neudexta, trazadone, and Aricept. She has had UTIs in the past and I have been taking her to the hospital for IVs and that seemed to help.
I just don't know if this behavior with wanting to be in bed is the dementia progressing or something medical and can someone have a good BP and O2 and still have something wrong with her heart.

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Find Care & Housing

49 Answers

Most
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
1 2
My mother is much the same way. She is 88 with some type of dementia. Her vitals are good, but she doesn't want to do anything but watch TV. Today she stayed on the couch all day -- something new for her. She had woke up very cross this morning and I think it was her way of withdrawing. At 92, that your mother doesn't want to be active isn't surprising. I wish it weren't so, but changing it takes constant nagging. My mother will get up early on Sunday. She likes going to church, so she gets up an eager beaver. That is always good to see. She is comfortable going to church.
Helpful Answer (5)
Report
I think you can just let her rest and take your cues from her as to her activity levels.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Could it be the heat?
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
My mom did the same th ing. some days didn't even dress just sat on the couch in her nightgown and watched TV. Didn't eat much. Had a crisis with her heart ( a Fib) and ended up in the hospital. Now in a skilled nursing facility. Much the same as before. SHe is 96 and I think just tired out. Meds have been adjusted, UTI treated etc but I think her body is just slowing down. She is pain free but just tired most of the time. Hard to watch. But I agree with taking your cues from her. If she wants to rest most of the day, so be it.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
My dad is 91yrs old...he sleeps a lot, eats and watches tv. Why wouldn't this be normal for most people that old??
Helpful Answer (4)
Report
It's been my experience that when the elderly slow down -- both mentally and physically -- they SLOW DOWN. Their whole physiology slows down, which is a prologue to dying. Things tire them out more quickly, crises take a bigger toll on them emotionally and physically, and what we see as small exertions are huge for them. Be patient, it's all part of the stages of life. One of the major indicators is sleeping a lot more as well. Appetites dwindle, talking decreases, and things kinds of 'go out' like a candle burning down. It is indeed hard to watch, because we're witnessing them 'leaving' us little by little. But God is waiting for them on the other side.
Helpful Answer (14)
Report
valencom..... perfectly said!!
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
My wife is at a senior psych unit for eval and when I go up to see her she is always laying in the bed . Sometimes she is sleeping and sometimes she just lays there with her eyes closed and when I talk to her she does answer me but carrying on a conversation is not possible. She says she is not tired but the staff says she lays down a lot. She was starting to lay down before she went to the unit so like valencom wrote it's, and it's sad to say, that this is life. It's hard for me to see her this way, with dementia, but she is still my hon and I'll be there for her.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Dementia also causes despair. Also tr 92, her general circulation is not the way it used to be, so her energy levels are not high. The reason for the normal vital sign readings is called 'homeostasis.' It is the way we are made to keep functioning against all odds.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
So glad the hear that sleeping a lot and doing nothing seems to be the norm for dementia patients. Mom seems perfectly content to sit on the couch all day dozing, watching tv or just staring out into space. She still has a good appetite and I always take that as a good sign but gave up long ago trying to interest her in any type of activity. I guess it's the normal progression for dementia (and getting older).
Helpful Answer (7)
Report
What I'm thinking could actually be a sign of boredom as well as other things mentioned here. Sometimes when you live alone like I do and have very little to no money on top of living in a town where there's little to do, this can seriously limit what you can participate in with very little to no money, especially if your social circle is very small like mine is. This can leave you to the point of being so bored and lonely that all there is to do is lay around. This is especially intensified during cold winters and very hot summers. If you have no car to get around during those cold winter days and you have no other way to get around without having to use public transit, this leaves you pretty much housebound during winter. If you're prone to heat illness during summer, this can also leave you housebound. Being housebound with all of what's mentioned in this post can leave you with nothing more to do but to lay around. This is why they call summer days "lazy hazy summer."

What you can do is try to engage your loved one into doing some very easy light exercises, some of which can be done while sitting or laying down. Even with the lightest exercises, your day surprise just how much better anyone would feel. Perhaps a group of you can gather around and participate in very light group exercises that even your elderly loved one can do. You'll be surprised how far a half hour worth of light exercise can go. Even the lightest exercises can probably help you feel better, but you'll feel more energized. The secret is in increasing blood flow through light exercise. There are a number of light exercises that anyone can do when their physical activity is limited. Even bedbound and wheelchair-bound people can do them and feel much better afterwards, especially the next day.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
My mother is the same way; she's 91 with advanced dementia and spends almost all her time in bed either reading or sleeping. Like your mom, she is, otherwise, in good health. I've decided just to let her do what her body is telling her to do - she seems happy and comfortable and that, I think, is the most important thing.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
Amen Valencom. My mom is 91, in a dem/alz facility and wheelchair bound. Doesn't talk much and when she does is jibberish but even when she is up in her wheelchair she closes her eyes and rests. Doesn't sleep but just closes her eyes a lot. It is hard. I hate seeing her like this but like the saying goes "It is what it is". I also agree that as we age, traumas, or just plain life can take it out of a healthy person sometimes. Dementia is just another blow to our bodies. I know that most facilities like to get the patients up and try to keep their minds active . Most of them can't anymore but they try. You didn't say if she lives with you but if she does or doesn't. If that's all she wants to do and her vital signs are good then I say let her sleep. As above posts have said, everything just slows down. Good Luck and God Bless....
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
This is a natural progression of dementia. They lose their interest in doing what we consider "normal'. Past 85 they are tired and don't have much energy. Leave her alone and stop trying to reverse the normal progression of life. Give her some vitamin D and multiple vitamins that may help. I am going through the same thing with my mother. I had to realize that all the effort we put forth is not helping their normal progression in life. Be patient and understanding. God will not take her until he is ready. Accept the fact that she has lived a long and good life.
Helpful Answer (5)
Report
My Father who is 90 only wants to eat, sleep and watch TV. Seems happy because I tried to get him to do other things and he just becomes nasty.
Helpful Answer (4)
Report
I agree that boredom could be part of the laziness.

You might want to look into a Senior Day Care program.. My Mom is 93 and just started going last year.. She enjoys it. The activity keeps her stimulated..
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
My husband is only 73 and can't sit down without falling asleep. Our doctor has checked his mess and says they are good. He has Lewy Body dementia (diagnosed 2 years),and type 2 diabetes. Any type of activity seems to exhaust him within minutes. His interest in the things he use to enjoy has greatly diminished, has difficulty completing sentences and a decreased appetite.

Are these symptoms consistent with Lewy Body. It is so very hard to watch what he is going through.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
This is the winter of the elders' lives.. They are not to be "on their game."
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
My husband is not an elder, he is only 73. Perhaps it is the disease process but my husband is not an elder! He was a 70 year 50's who enjoyed all types of activities from golf to world travel and more. Please don't tell me this is the "winter" of his life.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
I think he may have been referring to the fact that the poster's mother has advanced dementia.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
Sorry to hear about your situation. I was in the same situation when Mom moved in with me over 2 years ago. All she would do is word searches while watching TV in HER chair only stopping to eat or go to the bathroom. I arranged for both of us to visit our local Adult Day Care and I had major push back. I let time pass and we made another visit, still some push back but I managed for her to finally agree. She has been going (Mon -Fri) for 1/2 a year and loves it. I am glad I did not cave in to her hesitation. You may want to see if this would work for your situation. These people are angels, very attentive and caring. I only wish I had started earlier. Give it some thought. Good Luck. BTW my Mom is 91 has dimentia and in relatively good health.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Also of some concern would be the medication side effects especially trazadone which states tiredness as one of them. Please bring your issues to her doctor and see if there should be an adjustment in her medications. My Mom is on Aricept and WAS on Namenda (for a month) until she began to withdraw, became dizzy and have bigger incontinence issues. Once off this med she is back to her old self.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Moriah, I have a friend who is going through the same thing. Her husband is 71 with Parkinson's/Lewy Body dementia. He was so active and they traveled all the time. This disease has made him an "elder" almost. It's so sad what these diseases take away from us and THEM. Mom's roommate just turned 65 and she has been at the same facility for 6 years. Her husband took care of her for 5 years (but said she showed symptoms for years before that) and then couldn't handle it or her anymore. I can't imagine losing someone so young to to ALZ/dementia. It's hard enough watching my 91 year old mother go through this. Good Luck and God Bless with your husband.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
I apologize for over reacting if I came across that way. Very difficult time.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
Have her hemoglobin & iron checked, she may be anemic. Also recheck for UTI. When my mother gets wimpy (as her caregiver calls it) and wants to sleep all day, I know that the crazy is right around the corner.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
BTW, Mother is mostly sane except when having a UTI and then all bets are off.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
Want to follow
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
valencom--well said. I agree with the others also-I guess we have to accept that it is a part of life.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
One factor with my own parents was that they were often dehydrated which made them listless. They don;t eat or drink enough to have much energy. I found that setting a tall glass of sweetened iced tea next to my Mom's char had quite an impact. She would sip at it and really revive. Once she had taken in more liquid I could usually get her to eat a snack like a mozzarella cheese stick with some Ritz crackers, etc. It all seemed to help.
Helpful Answer (7)
Report
This sounds like normal aging to me. My MIL (who's lived with us for the past 10 months) has slowed down consdierably since she came here. And mentally, she's declined from about a 5 year old to a 2 year old, in terms of her ability to understand/follow conversations, remember things, and make decisions. Last month she started sleeping 18 hours out of 24, getting up just to eat and straighten herself out a bit. Then she rallied for a couple of weeks, getting back to a schedule where she was awake for 10 hours a day or so. Now she's back to sleeping 18-19 hours of 24. This is to be expected!

What's the surprise? No one lives forever! Having had well over a dozen pets (cats and dogs) over the last 30 years, I can tell you that one of the greatest lessons they teach us is how the lifespan works. As living creatures age, they slow down. My MIL now sleeps and eats like my very elderly dogs and my now 17 year old cat did/do.

I don't understand why anyone would do anything other than keep the person comfortable and cared for, i.e., eating well, bathed, taking their medications as scheduled, etc. My MIL has some skin tumors that are likely cancerous. She's had a number of these removed in the last 10 years. Are we going to have her treated at this point for some others? NO!!!! The general anesthesia she had to remove the others - sometimes as often as 3 x/year - NO DOUBT contributed to her current acelerating dementia (yes there are studies that have found such a link - especially in women and people who have general anesthesia/surgery after 55). We won't allow her to be operated on with the likelihood that she will either not wake up or - far worse - wake up and not know ANYthing or ANYone (including herself). And she's much more likely to slow down to the point of "stopping" - due to metabolism and vascular issues - than to die of cancer anyway.
Helpful Answer (6)
Report
1 2
This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.

Recent Questions


Popular Questions


Related Questions

Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter