My mom is restless more and more. She walks around the house for hours. Mom has alzheimers. Lately she can't settle down. She walks around the house for hours. I can distract her briefly sometimes with a book or TV or a chore, but it only lasts for a few minutes. Right now it is 11 am and she's been walking around on and off for 4 hours. If today is like other days recently, she won't stop all day. Any ideas?
Also I get her out for exercise. I tell everyone I have to wear her down. And I do. We go for walks and went to the Aquarium and just went at her pace. Of course I have things set up Montessori style around the house so activities catch her eye and attention. Paint, brushes, and pictures or crafts are set out on the table and left out, they want easy, larger print short stories, older children's books are good, the EASY crossword puzzles, I even read those out loud and we do it together, magazines she likes, clothes to fold, foods easily handled to snack on, or that are out and she can pour into a plastic bowl herself, etc. But really, physical activity is so important. Getting out of the house, does not have to be long, take a little walk and examine the flowers, just to do it and they get tired fast.
Hugs to you.
Luvmom
You are a blessing to your mom - she's lucky to have such a caring child. Best of luck to you both.
We made our home "Alzheimer's proof" after a few NEAR catastrophic events! It doesn't take much to want to make it 'safe' for Mom instead of pretty for any visitors. That way I wasn't constantly saying "NO Mom, don't touch that, it will break!: with her looking at things inquisitively and trying to complete the 'project'.
CABIN fever seems to be common, and since they are not able to articulate what is bothering them, it becomes a guessing game for us to figure out how to make them happy. Sometimes just leading them in the right direction is more effective. I would just 'start' a simple puzzle, and soon Mom would walk over and join in. I left a basket of laundry on the counter for her to 'fold' and dry goods for her to put in the pantry.
One more note that I always seem to make is, if this behavior is sudden, CHECK FOR A UTI. Easy enough to get checked and rule out too.
Be creative, and if walking around doesn't seem to agitate her, I would allow it to a point.
The walking does get on my nerves, but I could live with it if she was enjoying herself. But she isn't. She says she's restless and she is upset by it. She can't settle down, but she wants too.
She goes to day care two days a week (which she hates!) and has a caregiver for 3 hrs on the other days (my brother is there when the caregiver is gone).
Even going outside and taking a walk doesn't help. She may come home and lay down for 20 min (at most), but when she is like that, she gets up and wanders again.
B.A. (Before Alz), Mom liked nothing better than to read a book or watch TV. She has never done crafts or anything like that. We've tried puzzles but she isn't interested. She doesn't get involved with these things with her caregiver at home or at the day care either. (She did for a few weeks, but not anymore.)
She does like to fold towels, but can remember that she just did it. So I can't mess them up and give them to her again.
I have to agree with luvmom and hope this is just a stage. :-)
I asked the day care to provide some notes on the behavior they see, so I could share them with the Dr. They just faxed me notes from her 2 day there last week. They broke my heart! She used to get antsy and want to leave about 1 pm (bus comes at 2 pm). Now she starts asking when she can go home before lunch, sometimes even at 9 am. We'll ask the Dr about meds, but she may be beyond day care. The ppl, noise, etc. seem to agitate her. I picked this facility because it has a good reputation and it is intergenerational. They have a regular day care there. Last week, they took mom and a couple of other ladies down to visit the kids. Mom loves kids. They said she seemed to brighten until one of the kids dropped a loud toy and then she wanted to leave immediately. :(
Yesterday afternoon I made the decision to take her out of day care until we work this out. She is scared and agitated all day there now. She was only going Tues and Thurs. Luckily, her am caregiver that she *loves* is able to come on those days.
The person who said "have things set up Montessori style around the house so activities catch her eye and attention. Paint, brushes, and pictures or crafts are set out on the table and left out, they want easy, larger print short stories, older children's books are good, the EASY crossword puzzles", "take her outside to walk around and look at flowers /magazines she likes, clothes to fold, foods easily handled to snack on, or that are out and she can pour into a plastic bowl herself, etc. But really, physical activity is so important. Getting out of the house, does not have to be long, take a little walk and examine the flowers, just to do it and they get tired fast." Said it best.
My daddy had Alzheimer's (died in 1988) and when he would say he wanted to "go home", they would put their coats on and go for a brief walk. When they came back in the house, they were "home".
Another reason for the wandering can be that there is too much clutter. I can tell when I have let things sit without putting them away because she's up and moving a lot. Right now we're getting ready for our youngest daughter's wedding and her wedding dress is in the living room hanging out. It is a little distressing to Mom but I just keep telling her it will be gone by the weekend and back to normal.
I really find that the more I keep her occupied (puzzles, solitaire, etc.) where I am actively doing something with her, the less she roams.
Good luck!
She's been wandering the house for ~3 hours and is crying. It breaks my heart, but I don't know what to do. Anything I suggest she doesn't want to do.
I'm in the process of looking at ALFs. I know it can take a long time to get into one, esp since Mom is on Medicaid. I don't think we need it yet, maybe in a year or so. But I've been told that we need to figure out the issue with her restlessness or no place will even take her. I don't know what to do. Her caregiver that is here during the week (who is really good) has trouble when she gets like this too.
Any other ideas????
p.s. This would also give you a few minutes to do someting for yourself.