My mom is suffering from depression and has not left her room in over a year. Is there anything I can do to get her to leave her room?

N1K2R3

Sep 2, 2010

How old is she? Get an in-house doctor to come over and make a house call. When and where does she go potty? Is she fed in bed or in a chair? Does she wash in the bathroom or in the bed? These are important questions. Most important of all is a medical assesment.

Helpful Answer (1)

melody56

Sep 2, 2010

Has your Mom been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's? My Mom was severely depressed after my father divorced her. The only way we could get Mom to leave the house was to encourage her to "take care of her garden". Mom loved her garden and rose bushes. Once we got her outside of the house, she started enjoying the birds and squirrels who visited her daily. We bought her a humming bird feeder and she looked forward every day to see if any humming birds were feeding outside her porch. It was a very difficult process and very frustrating and Mom is now in an Alzheimer's facility, as she became too hostile for us to care for her. Maybe there is something on the outside of your Mom's room she use to enjoy. TV or cooking or even cleaning. We took small steps to get Mom to associate with life outside her home. It was heart breaking and I wish you the best for your Mom and your family.

anonymous13319

Sep 2, 2010

I am so sorry to hear of your predicament and I can feel the frustration in your voice. My Mom lives independently but goes through those phases. She won't leave her apt unless she has a doctor's appt.
One thing you can look into is visiting doctors programs...they are getting more common. Mom has one doc that visits her home and, of course, there are visiting nurses. It is imperative that your Mom keep moving. I told my Mom that if she did not exercise, her muscles will atrophy and she will end up being bed ridden. That seemed to make sense to her and now she looks forward to exercising - but she still does not like leaving her home.
Can you have physical therapists visit? I even think more social contact with anyone may help. I know that she is depressed, but until you find something that motivates her, I fear for the worse.
good luck...tell us if any of these things work for you.
Lilli

buszmum

Sep 2, 2010

Id like to address your comment about your moms legs leaking. My father had congestive heart failure and due to his heart unable to pump the fluid it built up in his legs. He had to go to the hospital often to have the fluid removed with diuretics. Is she taking a water pill? Also CHF causes exteme fatique and shortness of breath so doing anything is very difficult. He wore a hose type stocking to compress the fluid on his legs.

PirateGal

Sep 2, 2010

She may need to see a psychaitrist, she may be depressed and they have meds for that.

Jsomebody

Sep 2, 2010

The situation needs immediate care. Try calling her physician who ever she used to see and describe what has happened, she made need to go to hospital, or at least have some one come and check to be sure she is not in danger. If she has begun to suffer from agoraphobia, it will take slow and gentle encouragement to get her back out in the would. Starting with the front room even, then the yard, nothing dramatic. I was agoraphobic for almost a decade. It can be overcome, but slowly.

Others are right, get as much support as you can, anyone she trusts, or medical personnel who can come to the house and be of assistance.
I hope you are able to resolve this safely.