My Mom did the same thing. I think its calming for them. But, as the days went by her humming got louder and louder. This now is anxiety and not good for them. Mom was put on medication. Yes, she was maybe too calm but my daughter, RN in NHs, said its like a quality of life thing. The anxiety is not good either.
Can tardive dyskinesia cause death? How serious is tardive dyskinesia? What happens if you don't treat tardive dyskinesia? Does tardive dyskinesia get worse?
What are the warning signs of tardive dyskinesia? Jerky movements lip smacking. moving your mouth, jaw or tongue. tapping or moving your hands or feet. movement in your hips. movement in your upper body. blinking your eyes a lot. puffing out your cheeks. **making noises or facial expressions you cannot control** Could include 'humming'.
I am caring for my mother Mary, who is 78 years old, living at home with age-related decline, alzheimer's / dementia, anxiety, arthritis, hearing loss, mobility problems, sleep disorder, and urinary tract infection.
With dementia at play, humming is not uncommon. Why ask 'why'? Your mother is going to start exhibiting all sorts of 'odd' behaviors as she progresses with her dementia, it's the nature of the beast.
I suggest you read this 33 page booklet which has the best information ever about managing dementia and what to expect with an elder who's been diagnosed with it.
Understanding the Dementia Experience, by Jennifer Ghent-Fuller https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/210580
Jennifer is a nurse who worked for many years as an educator and counsellor for people with dementia and their families, as well as others in caring roles. She addresses the emotional and grief issues in the contexts in which they arise for families living with dementia. The reviews for her books are phenomenal b/c they are written in plain English & very easy to read/understand. Her writings have been VERY helpful for me.
The full copy of her book is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Thoughtful-Dementia-Care-Understanding-Experience/dp/B09WN439CC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2E7WWE9X5UFXR&keywords=jennifer+ghent+fuller+books&qid=1657468364&sprefix=jennifer+ghent%2Caps%2C631&sr=8-2
There is another disorder called Misophonia. The noises may bother you more than the average person.
What is misophonia? People with misophonia are affected emotionally by common sounds — usually those made by others, and usually ones that other people don’t pay attention to. The examples above (breathing, yawning, or chewing) create a fight-or-flight response that triggers anger and a desire to escape. Misophonia is little studied and we don’t know how common it is. It affects some worse than others and can lead to isolation, as people suffering from this condition try to avoid these trigger sounds. People who have misophonia often feel embarrassed and don’t mention it to healthcare providers — and often healthcare providers haven’t heard of it anyway. Nonetheless, misophonia is a real disorder and one that seriously compromises functioning, socializing, and ultimately mental health. Misophonia usually appears around age 12, and likely affects more people than we realize.
As a caregiver, if you are bothered by your Mom's humming, you might want to look into solutions for yourself, in addition to your mother's anxiety.
Sometimes the 'humming' is not really a song, but instead a humming noise. Vocal stimming can be a symptom of unconsciously soothing oneself. In my opinion only, it can be a symptom of anxiety.
For example, vocal stimming can be a symptom of ADHD. Verbal stims that may be common with ADHD are often symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity, as presented by the National Institute of Mental Health. Symptoms: blurting humming singing or repetitively quoting from a movie or video
I think it's soothing like rocking or some other repetitive activity. Be thankful that she's not jingling change or constantly clicking a pen.
A gentleman at my husbands dementia day care incessantly makes a hissing sound like air coming out of a radiator valve. Poor guy. He's immobile and bent over in his wheelchair. I'm glad that the staff always has him accompany the group to the music or activities room even though he just sits and hisses. I sometimes think he's saying…I not a lump, I'm here.
I would reccommend that you get head phones or kiss your nerves good-bye. Or, does your mom have cable TV in her room? Maybe you could put it on the Easy Listening Music network and sing along with her.
I hum every day and throughout the day and I'm 63 with no mental decline(that I'm aware of anyway! ). I actually wake up with a song in my mind and heart(always a Christian song)and will hum or sing it all morning. And because I really can't sing, if I go out and about I will just hum it. It brings me joy, and I personally don't see anything wrong with it. I was told years ago that people who hum are proven to be happy, joyful people so I think more people need to start humming, as this world needs more happy, joyful people don't you think?
Oliver Sacks wrote an entire book about music and the brain. It is called Musicophlia, and I sure do recommend it. The humming thing can become habitual and it is not at all unusual. Moreover, as we age it is best to watch for getting "ear worms" stuck, a tune we repeat and concentrate on can come into the brain repetitively and unexpectedly. Next time there is a checkup with Mom's regular MD mention this. It may or may not disappear easily as it has come. Perhaps consider playing whatever kind of music Mom enjoys in the background to supplant whatever tune is "stuck."
Life-threatening tardive dyskinesia - PubMed
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ;
Can tardive dyskinesia cause death?
How serious is tardive dyskinesia?
What happens if you don't treat tardive dyskinesia?
Does tardive dyskinesia get worse?
What are the warning signs of tardive dyskinesia?
Jerky movements
lip smacking.
moving your mouth, jaw or tongue.
tapping or moving your hands or feet.
movement in your hips.
movement in your upper body.
blinking your eyes a lot.
puffing out your cheeks.
**making noises or facial expressions you cannot control**
Could include 'humming'.
I am caring for my mother Mary, who is 78 years old, living at home with age-related decline, alzheimer's / dementia, anxiety, arthritis, hearing loss, mobility problems, sleep disorder, and urinary tract infection.
With dementia at play, humming is not uncommon. Why ask 'why'? Your mother is going to start exhibiting all sorts of 'odd' behaviors as she progresses with her dementia, it's the nature of the beast.
I suggest you read this 33 page booklet which has the best information ever about managing dementia and what to expect with an elder who's been diagnosed with it.
Understanding the Dementia Experience, by Jennifer Ghent-Fuller
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/210580
Jennifer is a nurse who worked for many years as an educator and counsellor for people with dementia and their families, as well as others in caring roles. She addresses the emotional and grief issues in the contexts in which they arise for families living with dementia. The reviews for her books are phenomenal b/c they are written in plain English & very easy to read/understand. Her writings have been VERY helpful for me.
The full copy of her book is available here:
https://www.amazon.com/Thoughtful-Dementia-Care-Understanding-Experience/dp/B09WN439CC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2E7WWE9X5UFXR&keywords=jennifer+ghent+fuller+books&qid=1657468364&sprefix=jennifer+ghent%2Caps%2C631&sr=8-2
Best of luck to you.
The noises may bother you more than the average person.
What is misophonia?
People with misophonia are affected emotionally by common sounds — usually those made by others, and usually ones that other people don’t pay attention to. The examples above (breathing, yawning, or chewing) create a fight-or-flight response that triggers anger and a desire to escape. Misophonia is little studied and we don’t know how common it is. It affects some worse than others and can lead to isolation, as people suffering from this condition try to avoid these trigger sounds. People who have misophonia often feel embarrassed and don’t mention it to healthcare providers — and often healthcare providers haven’t heard of it anyway. Nonetheless, misophonia is a real disorder and one that seriously compromises functioning, socializing, and ultimately mental health. Misophonia usually appears around age 12, and likely affects more people than we realize.
As a caregiver, if you are bothered by your Mom's humming, you might want to look into solutions for yourself, in addition to your mother's anxiety.
Vocal stimming can be a symptom of unconsciously soothing oneself.
In my opinion only, it can be a symptom of anxiety.
For example, vocal stimming can be a symptom of ADHD.
Verbal stims that may be common with ADHD are often symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity, as presented by the National Institute of Mental Health.
Symptoms:
blurting
humming
singing or repetitively quoting from a movie or video
A gentleman at my husbands dementia day care incessantly makes a hissing sound like air coming out of a radiator valve. Poor guy. He's immobile and bent over in his wheelchair. I'm glad that the staff always has him accompany the group to the music or activities room even though he just sits and hisses. I sometimes think he's saying…I not a lump, I'm here.
I would reccommend that you get head phones or kiss your nerves good-bye. Or, does your mom have cable TV in her room? Maybe you could put it on the Easy Listening Music network and sing along with her.
I was told years ago that people who hum are proven to be happy, joyful people so I think more people need to start humming, as this world needs more happy, joyful people don't you think?
The humming thing can become habitual and it is not at all unusual. Moreover, as we age it is best to watch for getting "ear worms" stuck, a tune we repeat and concentrate on can come into the brain repetitively and unexpectedly.
Next time there is a checkup with Mom's regular MD mention this. It may or may not disappear easily as it has come. Perhaps consider playing whatever kind of music Mom enjoys in the background to supplant whatever tune is "stuck."