Husband (84) with Alzheimer's has started sleeping more. Any advice?

Ferris1, what is the point of getting them up in the morning for a much longer day and much more stress for everybody. Are these people ever going to get better? I can tell you definitively, and from personal experience, no!!! Alzheimer's is the ugliest most insidious disease on the planet. It must be so frightening for these poor people who have no idea where they are. I was always so thankful when my mom could sleep long periods of time. She was so confused when she was awake it was horrible I'm sure for her I know it was horrible for all of us. Her doctor literally told me the best we could hope for was that she would die in her sleep. I don't know who you think you're fooling, with all this talk about getting them up in time for breakfast and checking vitamin B levels.and keeping a schedule what a joke! Sorry if I sound insensitive but I can speak to this because I lost my mother who was my best friend for my entire life to this awful disease. All we can hope for is a little bit of grace and a death without pain..people with Alzheimer's don't want to be poked with needles... They don't understand why you're hurting them. Let the patient sleep I beg you. Be kind. If that's the way the body is shutting down, then that's God doing his work....and I thank him for it every day that I can remember my mom as she was before that miserable disease took hold of her and ravaged her brain, and stole her from our lives like a thief in the night. now there is a huge void where once stood a woman of substance, a woman who gave back, a woman of class and composure at all times...who ended up going to the bathroom in front of a room full of people on the floor because she didn't know where the restroom was. I hate Alzheimer's!!! let them sleep I beg you let them sleep.

One more thing about Alzheimer's and I will get off my soapbox. if I ever receive a diagnosis and I'm sure that's the direction I'm going, I have already told my husband I will run and not walk to where he keeps his .45...and I will put it in my mouth. I am a Christian woman, but I will not put my loved ones through what we went through with my mom. It is the most heartbreaking awful visceral disgusting disease on the planet... I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy if I had any enemies. Perhaps I do now. but how would any of you like to spend your day not knowing the names of your children and not being able to come up with an intelligible sentence? how would you like for the world to be a dark frightening place every single minute that you are awake? and have no recollection of any of the happy memories you have made in your life with your family and your loved ones. how would you like it if you came walking out of your room with your pajama pants on your naked body covering your head and everything else hanging out in front of everybody in the room. There's nothing funny about that. and there's nothing redeeming about trying to keep an Alzheimer's patient on a schedule so they don't sleep too much. There is no normalcy for an Alzheimer's patient.

I agree waking them at 7am to start a scheduled day, scheduled for what? I have been through (9th year) the all day ranting and ravings wanting to leave, I am simply wanting to give my husband rest and solitude. He has all his blood work done every 3 months, all that was mentioned is fine. He wakes smiling with no aggression - what more can I ask for. I hated watching him go all day long into his chamber of horrors. I will not do that to him again. If he chooses to sleep so be it, I am still here and am the first thing he sees when waking & that makes him smile. Finished I'm with you I just hope I know soon enough that I may have AD I could not be so brave as you to take to a gun but hopefully find a companionate DR to help. No one should have to live through this, ever.

I guess it really doesn't matter, if they are content, evidently they need the sleep. I get my husband up too but unless he's ready he nicely replies just another 1/2 hour. Being in late stage 6 AD I would rather see him sleep than awake an getting himself agitated over something he has no control over.

My wife sleeps a lot but it seems to be a comfort zone for her rather than face life as it is so sad

Based on my experience with my late husband, I would say let her sleep. One of the women on an Alzheimer's support group I belonged to had Alzheimer's She described the experience of being drawn into the sleep state. It was not unpleasant.

Hubby (92) with dementia goes to bed at 9pm and gets up between 7 and 730 am. Sometimes will take 2 or 3 naps during the day. His health is fine. Blood tests and dr's visit every 3 month. Like some of you mentioned, I just let him sleep to save him any agitation. His dementia is worse on him than on us because of his forgetfulness. He is such a sweet man. We both hate to see him like this! But, back to the subject, sleep is ok by me. Some say it is the way the body starts meeting its end of the earthly life.

Dear Finished,
I completely understand why Robin Williams killed himself. He was looking ahead to a life you just described and decided that was not in his future. I don't blame him one bit. To loose your dignity would be the worst thing that I could think of. I quit a good job because the "boss" falsely accused me of abandoning my patients. I told her she should check out the situation with the patients. There was no evidence and I would have NEVER have done that.
I told her I wouldnt work for someone who tried to ruin my integrity and I quit right then. I don't want to loose it to Alzheimer's either.
I don't know if I could commit suicide. I'm a Christian too but don't have any qualms for people who feel they have no other option.
It will be a great day when they find a cure for this awful disease. I pray that my mother can just go to God in her sleep.

I agree with Paradise. They apparently need more sleep as the disease progresses. In the early stages, I might try lots of things to regulate day and night and provide meaningful activity. But in the later stages, I don't see sleep as an enemy. If/when the sleep takes up 20 hours a day, if might be time for a hospice evaluation.

twopupsmom, this is the 9th year for you. I think more sleeping sounds "normal" under the circumstances. Do mention it at your next doctor's appointment, but I don't personally think this is "urgent" and needs immediate attention, nor do I think you need do anything about it.

(Note to those whose loved ones are in earlier stages: one answer does not fit all circumstances. For sleep problems in the earlier stages I have a whole different answer!)

Let him sleep...you have to pick your battles....the toll of agitation on both of you is worse than a little extra sleep. I would pick a time to make sure he eats but if he wants to go back to bed, let him. I have a client who I make sure she gets breakfast & she'll go back to bed..15 min later, she'll be back out thinking it's the first time she's been up. They need more sleep as the disease progresses.