I have my 101 year old mom living with us. She is up late at night wandering. Any suggestions on stopping this? We are exhausted.

Always remember that meds are very individualized! Seroquel will work well for one and will have the completely opposite effect on another. Seroquel was great for my mom, but Ativan sent her over the edge, not at all the desired effect.

Hire an overnight caregiver for her. No doctor in his right mind is going to prescribe sleeping pills for a 101 y/o woman with dementia who's already got a swollen and injured leg. That's a prescription for a broken hip.

Have you considered moving her to a home? She is 101, might be time so that you and your family can go about living your lives.

Wandering and incontinence are often the straws that will break the camels back. And it sounds like not only is the camels back broken but yours as well.
Might be time to consider placing mom in a memory care facility.

I slept on the floor beside my mother’s bed, and although that worked relatively well for her safety, I got no sleep and gained 60 pounds.

After about 9 months, it became impossible for her to transfer from her bed to the commode, and we placed her in a great residence 5 minutes from my home.

They loved her and she loved them, and her last 5 years were happy and content.

Youwill feel better if you consider other options for her care.

My Daddy did the same. Talk to her doctor regarding medication for it.

This situation sounds exhausting. When my mom 86 lived with me she was also up and down throughout the night. Fell a few times. None of us got good sleep! Hospice suggested melatonin a couple hours before bedtime, mirtazapine at bedtime, and lorazepam as needed if her anxiety got to the point of keeping her and everyone else awake at night. The medication timing is the key as they can cause drowsiness so be sure to discuss that with doctor. After a week or two mom began sleeping through the night. The medications have worked well for us. I don't know if your mom is taking any medications but it's worth looking into for her and your sakes. I hope you find something that works.

I agree to discuss meds with her doctor. My 100-yr old Aunt with advanced dementia and impaired mobility would forget she couldn't really walk. We had to make "barriers" around her bed so that she couldn't escape. Yet she finally did and fell and broke her hip.

During the day our family caregiver had her folding stacks of kitchen towels, sorting things, played games with her, had her pedal a small portable foot pedaler for 20 minutes and walked her to the mailbox daily so that she burned mental and physical energy during the day, with minimal napping. It worked for a while but not towards the end.

I’m confused. Your profile states that your mother is in an assisted living facility.

Your posting says that she lives with you. Which is it?

To answer your question, my mother did this. She tried to walk out of the front door a few times in the middle of the night. It’s very upsetting to know that your mom is wondering about instead of sleeping in their bed.

My mother’s doctor prescribed Ativan Seroquel and her wandering stopped.

All medication affects everyone differently so it is important to speak with your mom’s doctor to see what they feel is best for her particular situation.

Best wishes to you and your mother.