Is it alright for my 84-year-old mother with Alzheimer's Disease to sleep twenty hours a day?

My mother wanted to sleep 24 hours a day. She was in a nursing home (she was 96). The staff there saw to it that she got up and sat in her "gerry chair" for most of the day. She was unable to walk so she also had to have a wheel chair. Anyway, I found that as Alzheimer's progresses (despite Aricept and Namenda), she continued wanting to sleep all of the time and not talk t me. This happened wthin a few short months. She died
on October 20, 2009. I was very sad at the time, but knowing my mother like I did, I knew very well she would not have wanted to live like that. When she became 95 she kept tellling me "that's awful old, isn't it). In my oipinion, I think the Alzheimer's is taking over. Prepare yourself as much as possible.

God Bless

I definately feel, and my husband and kids agree, that I'm not the same person I was before my Mom's alzheimer's diagnosis. It probably feels like living with someone who has chronic PMS 24/7! My moods go up and down... Even when I'm trying to carve out time just for me, the worry is always there. I'm just praying alot and doing much deep breathing to work thru it all. Guess I had underestimated how much a parent's dementia and/or alzheimer's affects the whole family. Din: considering the layoff and everything that's been going on, be kind to yourself. You're being proactive about your own health, as well as your parents. Give yourself lots of kudos! You deserve em!

This is a clear sign of either depression and/or over medication. This is not ok. She is at risk for dehydration, bed sores, pneumonia, and more. Mom needs to be seen by a doctor. Hopefully you have a psychiatrist that helps manage mom's meds.
Good luck and be proactive.

My Mom was alternating between wanting to sleep constantly (and when she couldn't, becoming agitated) and not physically being able to for stretches of time. The Doctor found that she had a Urinary Tract Infection and also, he took her off the alzheimer's medicine she was on (big side effect was drowsiness). I agree with the Dr's visit suggestion. This is something that you need support on! Your parents are lucky to have such a concerned and loving daughter!

My Grandmother is 84 yrs old and was diagnosed with Alzheimers about 9 yrs ago. She takes Aricept and Namenda, without them, she is very, very mean. A few months ago, she started sleeping alot, she then passed out in the bathroom. We found out she was severely dehydrated at that time. After spending a week in the hospital, she has taken naps ever since. The last few weeks, she sleep ALOT. I'm talking 18-20 hours a day!! She says she is always tired and just wants to rest. She was taken to the doctor last week, (she complains of headaches daily) The doctor took her off 3 meds in hopes to get rid of the headaches she is having. However, it didn't address her desire to sleep all day. I was wondering too if it means she may not be around in a year. :(

kloie12345, your mother is being followed on this by her doctor. That is good.

Your profile says she has dementia. As you know, dementia gets worse over time. Sometimes the progression is very slow and gradual and sometimes it seems to get a lot worse suddenly.

Discuss with her doctor whether Mom may be entering the final stage, and how best to prepare for that.

I am sorry this tough time is so soon after you moved to be near her. Try to make the most of the time she is awake, even if it just holding hands and listening to music.

(It is not generally a good idea to post personal information such as an email or phone number.)

Hi sweetie the thing about stress is that it feeds on it's self to make more stress, it then becomes it's own support system to support it's self.First my heart go's out to you in your pain. stress can lead to depression, so i pray that you be careful of this, i know for this happen to me, but i sort out medical help, and he put me on one pill that has changed every thing, i now have carmines of mind so as to look out for my elderly folk in a clearer and stressless
state of mind, it has helped to no end.Your dad may see it that she need rest, i know that i to some times sleep more than i need so as to rest my mind from thinking.I don't know what to tell you about that,but i do know about stress, and it's danger, so make sure you look out for you, so you can better look out for them. I can only talk about what i went through, i hope and pray that it has helped in a small way.
stay strong for them and you
Fernando

Be careful that she does not dehydrate or not eat. Ensure is wonderful, but she needs 2 glasses a day for liquid and norishment.

my dad is 86 , he sleeps alot . its the meds he s on and he doesnt feel good . tired and worn out . cant do nothing so sleep is about all he wants to do and watch tv .
yes make sure she drinks plenty and give her applesauce or pudding of something and keep her bed prop up so she wont get pneumoina , change her postion when you go ck on her so she wont have bedsores .
i also think they like to sleep alot cuz they can do so much in thier dreams .

As long as she is able to sleep at night and when she is up you check her skin for pressor sores amd when she is up takes some nutrition she seems ok to me it sounds like her system in just shutting down maybe you xoukd wake her up every 4-6 hrs during the day and wash her and change her position and get her to have some food as long as she is able to sleep during the nght I would not worry about it-if she keeps others up at night that is another thing and then she would need to be awake during the day a bubble bath and change of clothes daily is a good idea.