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testdepth Asked December 2017

Patient with dementia crawling around on the floor. Anyone else experience this?

My father has Parkinson's and dementia. He lives in a Memory Care facility and recently has started crawling around on the floor. I have no idea why. It's not because he fell but he actually gets down on the floor and starts crawling around. When the nurse asked him if he needed help he just snapped back at her and said "mind your own business".  Anyone else experience this with a mom or dad?

Sendhelp Dec 2017
Scroll down to the bottom of this page, click on Caregiving A-Z,
then click on Parkinsons.
Somewhere on this site is an expert blogger who talks about Parkinson's, his name is 
John Schappi.

Again, scrolling down to the very bottom, in very small print (hey everybody!) click on "Sitemap".

Sendhelp Dec 2017
Real life examples:

Parkinsons: yes. When you cannot get your brain to tell your legs to move forward, crawling makes sense if you are stuck, or in too much pain.  Observed behavior.

Psychotic break with reality: a patient was crawling on her hands and knees along the walls in the corridors. The psyche nurse told her to stop it, and she did. (as reported by the patient when recovered.)

Follow this:
Blogger
John Schappi
Diagnosed with Parkinson’s
A testimony to courageous self-care.

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jeannegibbs Dec 2017
I think Hugemom is right. There probably is a reason that makes sense to him. If he is not distressed (thinks he is trying to escape an enemy in the jungle), isn't hurting himself or others, it may not be important to discover why he is doing it. I would report it to his doctor, just as a change in behaviors to go into his file.

Just curious. Does Dad act out his dreams? Has he been diagnosed with REM Behavior Disorder?

Hugemom Dec 2017
There is no rhyme or reason to why dementia patients do or say what they do. It makes sense to them, but to no one else. As long as Dad isn’t hurting himself or others, let him crawl around to his heart’s delight.

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