My mom is restless and she walks around the house for hours. How can I get her to stop?

There are medications that are safe for her to take for restlessness, check with her Doctor. You might also try to get her outside in the fresh air during the day. Sundowners syndrome is something that happens with folks with Alzheimers disease. They (researchers) have proven a correlation to lack of vitamin D and sundowners. The natural vitamin D outside could be very helpful! I would also encourage you to talk with the Dr. Have you tried a cup of tea camomile or something soothing without caffeine??? take care, J

Hi, I go thru the same thing with the wandering since my moms strokes. Before that, she also HAD to stay busy. She folded towels over and over and loved it. At first it scared me that she didnt know they were the same ones after I messed them up or put them in the dryer and gave them back to her. Daycare also is great to keep them busy. My Mom will sit down with tea (with helo) but eat finger food for a long time. I use colorful Trix, fruits, cheerios, etc. We spend hours at the table because she cant do anything else now. Looking forward to your other answers coming.

This is probably dense of me, but can you put in words what is the actual problem with this? Does she get too tired, or is it that it's making you crazy, or what? I'm still learning....

Its called sundowners sometimes. They think they have unfinished business or they want to "go home" "see their mother" or just cannot relax, its really sad and frustrating. When Mom has an episode we lock all doors and let her walk it out. It used to last 10-20 minutes but now it can be hours at a time or it stops on some days for no reason. I too need to figure this out, We got rid of the aggression but now need to get rid of the wandering. If I could keep her busy it would be better, but cant now.

Adult Day Care is so good. She really needs some stimulation. It has been wonderful for my mom.
Also I get her out for exercise. I tell everyone I have to wear her down. And I do. We go for walks and went to the Aquarium and just went at her pace. Of course I have things set up Montessori style around the house so activities catch her eye and attention. Paint, brushes, and pictures or crafts are set out on the table and left out, they want easy, larger print short stories, older children's books are good, the EASY crossword puzzles, I even read those out loud and we do it together, magazines she likes, clothes to fold, foods easily handled to snack on, or that are out and she can pour into a plastic bowl herself, etc. But really, physical activity is so important. Getting out of the house, does not have to be long, take a little walk and examine the flowers, just to do it and they get tired fast.

Why get her to stop? Let her walk. What's it to you?

Picture, you are so lucky as I used to be able to do that. Just a stroke and it can be lost in a second. Mom lost most of her eyesight and coordination with her hands and sees things that are 3D or cannot understand what they are. Enjoy her while you can, I miss that!!
Hugs to you.
Luvmom

I think she means that the walking is uncomfortable, a very restless feeling in which her Mom cant settle down. I have seen it in my own Mom, and its not that you dont want them to walk, they are very uneasy and aggitated, it doesnt appear to be a comfortable state of mind. Its like they keep looking for something and cant find it. Is this true Julie? Just my opinion. I hear its a "stage" but am hoping it ends here soon too. good luck.

Julie - Please don't take this the wrong way - I say it as a reformed control freak myself - but do you want your mom to be still for her sake or yours? As long as she's not hurting herself or anyone else, what's wrong with pacing? As I read the comments above there are some good ideas to occupy her time but this might be something that goes on for a while given her disease process. One thing I've learned about helping my own mom is that we can't "bend" them to our routines and preferences - especially when alzheimers is taking over. Whether they are okay mentally or not, bringing another adult into your home requires adjustment from all, and it's constant adjustment as they age and become less able to do things. Since they, our elders, are limited physically and mentally (sometimes) it's the rest of us who end up adjusting the most. I caused myself a lot of frustration until I finally "got this".

You are a blessing to your mom - she's lucky to have such a caring child. Best of luck to you both.

I completely agree with great suggestions here regarding keeping them engaged and busy. "Picture": by defining her environment as Montessori in nature, is a brilliant solution. Everything in a Montessori environment has a specific use or purpose. There is nothing in the environment that cannot be seen and/or touched. All of the furniture and tasks are designed to be 'touched and handled, and although originally intended for children, works quite well for any dementia person.

We made our home "Alzheimer's proof" after a few NEAR catastrophic events! It doesn't take much to want to make it 'safe' for Mom instead of pretty for any visitors. That way I wasn't constantly saying "NO Mom, don't touch that, it will break!: with her looking at things inquisitively and trying to complete the 'project'.

CABIN fever seems to be common, and since they are not able to articulate what is bothering them, it becomes a guessing game for us to figure out how to make them happy. Sometimes just leading them in the right direction is more effective. I would just 'start' a simple puzzle, and soon Mom would walk over and join in. I left a basket of laundry on the counter for her to 'fold' and dry goods for her to put in the pantry.

One more note that I always seem to make is, if this behavior is sudden, CHECK FOR A UTI. Easy enough to get checked and rule out too.

Be creative, and if walking around doesn't seem to agitate her, I would allow it to a point.

Everyone - thank you for your input.

The walking does get on my nerves, but I could live with it if she was enjoying herself. But she isn't. She says she's restless and she is upset by it. She can't settle down, but she wants too.

She goes to day care two days a week (which she hates!) and has a caregiver for 3 hrs on the other days (my brother is there when the caregiver is gone).

Even going outside and taking a walk doesn't help. She may come home and lay down for 20 min (at most), but when she is like that, she gets up and wanders again.

B.A. (Before Alz), Mom liked nothing better than to read a book or watch TV. She has never done crafts or anything like that. We've tried puzzles but she isn't interested. She doesn't get involved with these things with her caregiver at home or at the day care either. (She did for a few weeks, but not anymore.)

She does like to fold towels, but can remember that she just did it. So I can't mess them up and give them to her again.

I have to agree with luvmom and hope this is just a stage. :-)

You've probably done this, but look into each of her meds for this. I've been on the watch for this since I myself was given a medication for something totally unrelated and it made me subtly agitated and gave me something like Restless Leg Syndrome. The doctor said it couldn't be (grrr), but online I found other people who had had that reaction to that drug.

Wow, what a problem for you and her! I am so sorry. Absolutely check into the med's. Really try to remember when she started a med and if any changes. My mom had fractured a rib, and she had a 1/2 Tylenol with codeine. It confused her terribly. She could barely walk, could not even feed herself. And then found out it said do not use with such med's as vesicare. What a mess. I took her off of it after the second dose. And if she had too much pain med then she was so busy trying to do things it made her rib hard to heal. So I kept the over the counter meds very low, so she could feel just enough to want to rest it.

Have you ckecked her list of medications and their side effects? The answer may be in there, also I believe that even a small dose of lithium can have a calming effect I'm dealing with the opposite problem. My wife takes only one med, a low level antibiotic (tetracycline) yet sleeps about 18 hours of the 24.

Have you thought about a schedule. I realize her actions are the response of her illness but perhaps, getting a schedule or routine for her. This will allow you to know where she is at all times and what she is doing and her body will get in the habit of sitting more. Rather than just randomly finding things for her to do, try a schedule. She will feel useful and not notice. Perhaps she may get tired and want to sit down.

They usually prescribe Lorazapam for restlessness.......my mom has been a bit more restless as well, but does not want to walk at all, she complains she is bored and lonely. She does not want to go anywhere like an Adult center. She has no family or friends that vist cept me or a caregiver. It's kinda sad that they kinda make their own hell (in my mom's case). Funny thing is the Lorazapam does not do too much to her either...heck it knocks me out...LOL!

And I might add, the lorazapam type medications constipate terribly!! Give Miralax 2x a day if you must use those medications. My Mom ended up in the hospital impacted, that was a nightmare. Luvmom

PirateGal / luvmom - I'll keep that in mind. We're trying to get in to see her geriopsychiatrist. I'll look into Lorazapam and ask about it and the side effects. Other than Lipitor, none of her meds have changed in several months.

I asked the day care to provide some notes on the behavior they see, so I could share them with the Dr. They just faxed me notes from her 2 day there last week. They broke my heart! She used to get antsy and want to leave about 1 pm (bus comes at 2 pm). Now she starts asking when she can go home before lunch, sometimes even at 9 am. We'll ask the Dr about meds, but she may be beyond day care. The ppl, noise, etc. seem to agitate her. I picked this facility because it has a good reputation and it is intergenerational. They have a regular day care there. Last week, they took mom and a couple of other ladies down to visit the kids. Mom loves kids. They said she seemed to brighten until one of the kids dropped a loud toy and then she wanted to leave immediately. :(

HI Julie, my Mom too can get aggitated morning or night, usually afternoons about 3pm but she too has all day aggitation sometimes. I stopped the aircept because on 2 she was crazier than crasy so I assumed 1 didnt help either, and no change once off ot it. Whats up with the Lipitor, did you add or remove it? Many at the daycare blame cholesterol meds for the memory loss and if you google it, its scary. I dont think they really need chlesterol meds at this point, not sure, but many dont give it any longer. I give 1/2 privastatn 3x a week only.I increased the depakote by 1/2 and seems to be helping.

Mom just started the Lipitor ~6 weeks ago because she does have high cholesterol, so that is new. I checked the Web and didn't find any side effects from the Lipitor that match what I'm seeing. Besides, she's been getting agitated for a while, it is just escalating. We also just had my 14-yo niece vist for a month. I think that upset mom's routine.

Yesterday afternoon I made the decision to take her out of day care until we work this out. She is scared and agitated all day there now. She was only going Tues and Thurs. Luckily, her am caregiver that she *loves* is able to come on those days.

Walking around the house for hours might be distracting but it is certainly good for her health. Just let her walk would be my first advice because the opposite of that is un-healthy. Ask anyone who cares for the elderly if it is better to sit most of the day or walk.
The person who said "have things set up Montessori style around the house so activities catch her eye and attention. Paint, brushes, and pictures or crafts are set out on the table and left out, they want easy, larger print short stories, older children's books are good, the EASY crossword puzzles", "take her outside to walk around and look at flowers /magazines she likes, clothes to fold, foods easily handled to snack on, or that are out and she can pour into a plastic bowl herself, etc. But really, physical activity is so important. Getting out of the house, does not have to be long, take a little walk and examine the flowers, just to do it and they get tired fast." Said it best.

I take Mom for at least one walk a day - more if she seems restless - and I always take her to the store with me to get exercise there also. I find that really helps. During the day, I'm not concerned if she is walking around the house but we have put a gate up at night so that she can't get near the steps or out into the kitchen and possibly hurt herself.

My daddy had Alzheimer's (died in 1988) and when he would say he wanted to "go home", they would put their coats on and go for a brief walk. When they came back in the house, they were "home".

Another reason for the wandering can be that there is too much clutter. I can tell when I have let things sit without putting them away because she's up and moving a lot. Right now we're getting ready for our youngest daughter's wedding and her wedding dress is in the living room hanging out. It is a little distressing to Mom but I just keep telling her it will be gone by the weekend and back to normal.

I really find that the more I keep her occupied (puzzles, solitaire, etc.) where I am actively doing something with her, the less she roams.

Good luck!

Could there actually be a physical reason why someone would walk constantly? I mean what about restless leg syndrome? Maybe her legs feel better when she's on them walking, how can someone tell if that's the case?

I wish my mother Could walk... : (

Mom's dr. prescribed Depakote to level out her moods. Her restlessness and anxiety got so bad that we had to take her out of day care. She's been on the Depakote for 2 weeks and we haven't seen any changes yet. Today is another day when she can't settle down. She doesn't want to read or watch TV. She doesn't like crafts, puzzles, etc.

She's been wandering the house for ~3 hours and is crying. It breaks my heart, but I don't know what to do. Anything I suggest she doesn't want to do.

I'm in the process of looking at ALFs. I know it can take a long time to get into one, esp since Mom is on Medicaid. I don't think we need it yet, maybe in a year or so. But I've been told that we need to figure out the issue with her restlessness or no place will even take her. I don't know what to do. Her caregiver that is here during the week (who is really good) has trouble when she gets like this too.

Any other ideas????

Let her walk. Hire a walker (a person), just likea dog walker, and let them both walk outside for about and hour and a half. Seems as though she'll be tired, and ready for an afternoon nap.
p.s. This would also give you a few minutes to do someting for yourself.

N1K2R3 - thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, Mom usually refuses to go outside for a walk when she's asked. And if she does, after 10 min or so she wants to go home. If she was walking around and enjoyed herself, I wouldn't mind. The problem is the agitation and crying. SHE doesn't like the fact that she is doing it either.

She may very well have RLS maybe a trail of the meds for that would help-I do not think AL will be a right fit for her she may need an ALZ Unit I am sorry to say-they have much experience with many different behaivors and wll know the best thing for her.

Julie: And how old is your Mom?

Mom is 63. She has Alzheimer's and is in Stage 5. I finally found a movie yesterday that she wanted to watch and she settled down for a couple of hours. Later she apologized to me for having a bad day. I told her that I just wished I could help her when she's restless. She told me that it wasn't my job to do that. Breaks my heart!