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My mother is 77 years old and has suffered with vascular dementia since 2010. I'm not understanding why she sleeps much of the day. She is woken up by the caregivers to be feed. She eats and drinks well, though she doesn't feed herself, but continues to lose weight. She is very thin and frail with body stiffness. No longer able to hold her neck up or torso.

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My mom is in last stage Alzheimer's (diagnosed in 2009). She lives with us. She has hospice care too. She sleeps 11-12 hours at night and naps a bit during the day. She also eats pretty well. I hand feed her and with Ensure plus, she takes in about 800-1000 calories a day. She is unable to sit up but does still hold her head up fairly well. I believe she is losing weight as well...although I have no way to weigh her. (Last time was at the hospital and she was 95lbs.) I know the tabs from her briefs are wrapping further around her than they used to. From what my research says, this often happens as they progress in the disease. At this point, our goal is comfort. If mom opens her mouth when I try to feed her, I figure she wants it...the same with water and Ensure plus. It is challenging (and devastating), but the time has come to provide comfort and not necessarily prolong life.
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One of the benefits of hospice care is that you have experienced hospice staff to ask these kinds of questions. Take full advantage of that!

Also ask hospice whether it is a good thing to wake mom up to feed her.
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The dying process actually starts long before the last breath is taken. As a persons nears death the body begins to slow down. Sleeping often is common and eating little is also common. Everything you described I saw with my grandfather, who also suffered form dementia as well as parkinsons and in the end died of heart failure. Try not to fret. If your mother is on hospice care they are doing everything they can to keep your mother comfortable. If you force food into a person whos body doesnt want it you can actually cause them dicomfort. It is also possible for a dying person to "rally" and become more alert and seems to be improving for a short time. Do not dishearten if she lapses back into her sleepy stage. It is all very normal and natural. Focus more on spending time by her side. Hold her hand. Rub her joints if they are stiff. Play soft music for her. Read to her. Dont fear these natural changes and processes she is going through.
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I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. It sounds like your mom's body is shutting down. My father was dying of heart failure. He couldn't eat very much in the last few months. And hardly drank anything. He too was getting weaker and weaker till he passed in hospital. I didn't realize this and expected him to recover. I know its not easy to see our aging parents in this condition. I hope the nurse or doctor can provide you with the answers you are looking for. Take care.
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This is a question for a physician. There are far too many things going on here for us to give an informed answer.

The only thing I can offer is that if she is in "end stage hospice care", that indicates that he is perhaps nearing the end of her life - which would explain why she is sleeping a lot. That's completely normal for someone nearing the end.

I would strongly recommend asking these questions of her physician if you're concerned.
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