If anger is so common for Alzheimers/Dementia, why don't any other residents have outbursts?

Definitely have her seen by the geriatric psychiatrist. I know how you feel. I came to pick my mom up to take her out for the day at the nursing home. She told me that a woman had gotten arrested for killing a baby in her room! When I told her that couldn't possibly be true and even showed her that the lady in question was still in her room, she dismissed it. When i got to my mom's room, she had packed up everything and told me she didn't care where she went, but she wasn't staying there. I was at a loss. I couldn't take her out like that because I doubt she would willingly go back. She started screaming at me and her roomate, told me the nurse was having sex at night with the sides and then spit at me. The nurse told me to just leave and not worry about it. They are used to handling these things and that my mom was worse once I got there. I left, had the nurse speak to the phlsychiatirst and eventually her meds got straightened out and my mom settled down. There were a bunch of times where she smashed her rollator into the elevator or away from her and fell. She also accused her roommate of having her blood drawn in the middle of the night at a residents council meeting. You are definitely not alone.

The extra therapy is great. Try watching some Teepa Snow videos if you haven't already. She can help with how to handle when your mom gets mad it isn't therapy day.

Hee! Oh my....

So here is the update from the neurologist appointment: Mom's disease is progressing, she scored lower on one of the cognitive tests and showed that more areas in her brain are suffering the effects of the brain damage.

The Ativan has only been given six times, so the doped up state I have been seeing is most likely Mom's body adjusting to the increase in her other meds (the mood medicines were increased) and they changed the form from Depakote to Depakene, so another adjustment. Apparently Depakene is faster acting.

If the sedation affect doesn't even out, we are to consider lowering those mood medicine's a tiny bit, and if her anger and rage continue on or get worse, we can then try a different medicine called Seroquel. (at least we have options)

I notice a huge improvement in her mood and her mind function after her work out sessions at the gym, so I have added a 3rd one to her week. Unfortunately, she's beyond the whole reasoning thing it seems. I used to be able to reassure her that she worked out twice a week, and it would satisfy her somewhat, but now if the answer isn't an IMMEDIATE yes, work out is today, she kind of goes off the deep end.

We will see if added that 3rd work out helps overall or just helps in the moment.

I also spoke with the head nurse at her Memory Care home and asked if Mom was close to being given an ejection notice, and she laughed and said, not at all, they would let me know if their concerns started being that serious.

I guess it's good Mom hasn't actually hit anyone, and apparently the staff is fair game, other residents are not.

Other residents apparently do yell, got a story today from the staff: (and I find this humorous) One of the other residents was apparently yelling about having to use a walker (try getting someone with no short term memory to remember they now have to use a walker) and Mom came out of her room to tell that resident that they didn't have to yell about it, and apparently they both started yelling at each other.

I don't know how anyone can keep a straight face at that point. The whole scenario just tickles me. Of course, that's because I didn't have to calm anyone down, but still. Mom (who's been having yelling/screaming outbursts) telling someone else not to yell!

Just because something is normal doesn't mean everyone with dementia experiences all the symptoms all the time and to the same degree. To run with Countrymouse's teenager analogy: it may be "normal" for the average teen to have pimples but not every teen has them every day, and unfortunately there are some who have such ferocious acne that before the days of modern treatments they were left with permanent scars.

Mom has tested negative for the UTI and in addition to the neurologist, we are going to get a second opinion from another trusted doctor in the dementia community. I'll keep the geriatric physiatrist as an option as well.

Make sure your mom is tested for a UTI.
Perhaps you could also ask for a consult with a geriatric physiatrist to adjust her meds.
Come back and tell us what the neurologist has to say.

Countrymouse, that is so true, I tell my teenagers that all the time!

I would astonished if none of the other residents ever had these issues. Next time you're hanging around in the unit twiddling your thumbs while you wait to speak to the DoN or for your mother's clothes to be changed, see if you can catch the eye of fellow family members. Pound to a penny at least *some* of them feel exactly the same as you.

And, not to be cynical, but it could be that some of them aren't quite so punctilious about that fine line any more.

Remember those happy teenage years when you had a massive zit on your nose and you were sure the entire world was pointing and laughing? In reality, they were far more concerned about the spots on their own noses that you didn't even notice.