My mother goes into a zone where she is freezing to death and peeing her pants. What can I do?
She is warm enough to sweat and she has never wet her pants, but in her head this is happening. She gets very angry and starts to yell and swear which she would never have done before dementia. It appears to be getting worse.
I have her in long underwear, a hat, blankets, a foil backed fleece liner on her chair, and the heated bead bags for her lap and neck. I have not tried the placebos but it is worth a try. I will do it tomorrow and see if it works. This comes and goes like a switch has been flipped but the episodes can last from 1 hour to 6 or 7. She is clearly miserable and praying for God to take her as she is freezing to death and no one loves her. I'm at a loss for ideas so I will try yours. Wish me luck - and Thank You!
Poor Mom. She must be terribly worried and unhappy. I wonder if she would respond to a placebo? Perhaps it would at least assure her that you take her seriously and are trying to help. And who knows? It might help!
This could be in the form of a few teaspoons of powder that you stir into a glass of milk (a powder that looks a lot like Carnation Instant Breakfast) or a gel cap she takes twice a day, that looks suspicously like a low dose vitamin D, or a tablet she takes first thing in the morning and each time she feels especially cold, up to 5 times a day that resembles a tic-tac candy.
I only suggest this because you have diligently looked into physical causes. A placebo would never be my first idea.
I agree with naheaton, your mom should be checked for a UTI or any other infections.
These seem to be delusions, and may be a result of the dementia progressing. The swearing which is out of character is not terribly unusual with dementia, either. Certain inhibitions seem to not operate.
If your mother sees a specialist about her dementia (geriatric psychiatrist, behavioral neurologist, etc.) bring these new symptoms up with that doctor. There may be treatments that will help.
But first, have her checked by her primary care physician for any physical causes.
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This could be in the form of a few teaspoons of powder that you stir into a glass of milk (a powder that looks a lot like Carnation Instant Breakfast) or a gel cap she takes twice a day, that looks suspicously like a low dose vitamin D, or a tablet she takes first thing in the morning and each time she feels especially cold, up to 5 times a day that resembles a tic-tac candy.
I only suggest this because you have diligently looked into physical causes. A placebo would never be my first idea.
What do you think?
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These seem to be delusions, and may be a result of the dementia progressing. The swearing which is out of character is not terribly unusual with dementia, either. Certain inhibitions seem to not operate.
If your mother sees a specialist about her dementia (geriatric psychiatrist, behavioral neurologist, etc.) bring these new symptoms up with that doctor. There may be treatments that will help.
But first, have her checked by her primary care physician for any physical causes.