Find Senior Care (City or Zip)
Join Now Log In
R
rancks10 Asked May 2023

I think Dad has another UTI.

Just curious if anyone had a similar situation with their Alzheimers loved one. My dad is in stage 6 ALZ and has been getting reoccurring UTI's. He lives in Assisted Living and I visit twice a week. In the past, he has seemed lethargic and withdrawn when the first symptoms of a UTI surfaced (I try to catch the symptoms quickly to make sure the nurses are getting the urine sample and antibiotics right away.) His normal baseline is not to talk too much, sit slumped in a wheelchair, difficulty getting up and moving to his chair, no smiles, no joking--- pretty glum. Today when I visited him, I found him on the floor (he fell out of his wheelchair), but he insisted that he was just fine and would get up on his own --- he said he was not hurt and to basically let him alone. Of course, I called in the nurses, but over the next hour he chatted and joked more in one hour's time that I believe the last month all put together! He remembered things incredibly well, told me he wanted to finally get his pilot's license (that he has always wanted to do all his life), fussed and joked with the nurses, told me it is time he visit's my house again and that it's been awhile (all true), and basically interacted incredibly well. But he was off the wall and some of the things he said did not make sense. And it took two of us to get him to the bathroom --- he was much weaker than his baseline. The nurses are pulling urine samples, but in the meantime: Has anyone experienced this? Where their LO was suddenly chatty and interactive (when they normally are VERY quiet), with a sharper memory than before and that was the symptom of a UTI? The nurses told me that he normally does this when he has one, but I've never seen him like this when I was visiting. It was very strange. And this is NOT how he normally is when he is feeling well and rested --- his normal baseline is pretty solemn and quiet, glum.

sp19690 May 2023
Many medications cause chronic UTI's.

Cdriver May 2023
Yes, when my dad gets a UTI, which happens a lot even being on a supplement to prevent them, his delirium goes OFF THE CHARTS. He becomes more hyper- agitated, talkative but not making sense and telling very tall tales, roaming the halls in his wheelchair, thinks he can get up by himself or walk (he can't) and falls (he's in a nursing home and will normally wait patiently for nurses help). All of it. A very good geriontologist that used to work there explained to me that delirium can take 2 forms - it can make them more lethargic or subdued, sleepy, groggy or it can cause the opposite of being more hyper, chatty, agitated, etc. Anytime my dad was put on any antipsychotics or Ativan he had this same reaction too. He has Parkinson's, so it may be a factor.

We are experiencing this right now with what I think is another UTI and are waiting on test results. It is so hard because when my dad is like this, he is so hard to deal with. Normally he is calm and pleasant but the delirium makes him so agitated and just crazy talk. It is upsetting to see and I am sure distressing for him.

If you are unfamiliar with delirium, Google it. Very common in elderly and especially in those with dementia when they get any kind of infection or are in the hospital.
sp19690 May 2023
Greed is the name of the game with many facilities. Especially if you are private pay. You can contact hospice yourself you dont need their permission to do that.

Many medications can cause chronic UTI's. May be time to look at what meds he is taking and see if any can be cut. For example a dementia patient shouldn't be on statins. Statins can cause UTI's.

ADVERTISEMENT


Ohwow323 May 2023
Prayers for you! Oh you are great to visit dad twice a week! Yes I saw this with my daddy too! Also, I don't want to be glum but just before my daddy passed he was upbeat and knew who I was and looked at me right in the eye. He knew who I was and responded to my voice. For the 10 months before he would not respond to me or I was the worst person in the world. Hugs and prayers!
rancks10 May 2023
Thank you for your kind words.
Geaton777 May 2023
This is called "showtiming", a common dementia behavior.

https://coping.today/what-does-showtime-mean/

https://www.homecare.co.uk/advice/show-timing-in-dementia-what-it-means-and-how-it-can-affect-diagnosis

https://www.agingcare.com/articles/stages-of-alzheimers-disease-118964.htm
rancks10 May 2023
Thank you for this information! I knew mom did this, but never noticed it with dad. It was very bizarre to see him in some ways be much better in his memory and verbal skills than he was for the last year, but be weak and fall at the same time.
NeedHelpWithMom May 2023
Bump

ADVERTISEMENT

Ask a Question

Subscribe to
Our Newsletter