Hi, Thank you. My mother just went to the doctor for her 3 month check up. No UTI and she is on anxiety meds and they recently increased her antidepressant. Her caregiver during the day is to have her exercise and do activities with her. I've asked her to keep her away from the tv all day as she can't follow the shows and she needs to stay active.
It's tough when they don't sleep, at least when my mom went through that phase she could no longer get up on her own, so when I was desperate for sleep I just used earplugs. You say she is already on meds, it may be that they need to be tweaked a bit or changed. We also found melatonin to be helpful, you can start with a very small dose, 2-3 mg.
anonymous, that's good, though I guess that doesn't really solve the problem, but at least if you fall asleep hopefully if she tries to go out you'll hear her; we were just a little too late, but never dreamed dad could get out
anonymous52412, she is not wandering because she isn't getting enough activity. She is not wandering because she is not on effective meds. She is not wandering because she watches too much television. All those issues are worth addressing, but the fact is that she is wandering because that is a symptom of her disease.
You can try to minimize it. You certainly need to try to keep her safe in spite of it. But basically you have to accept it is part of Alzheimer's. Sorry.
If there were an effective way to stop this wandering behavior, there would be little need for secure "memory care units" in assisted living and nursing homes. One of the quite pleasant and communicative guys in my mother's nh could still do his adls but tended to wander right out of the building. One day in the dining room he showed everyone his ankle bracelet intended to keep track of him. It was hard to tell whether he was bragging or complaining. A few weeks later he wasn't around anymore and we learned he was "upstairs" in the dementia unit. Apparently the bracelet wasn't sufficient to keep him safe.
If professionals need round-the-clock supervision and a secure facility to keep wandering dementia patients safe, don't be hard on yourself if you are having a hard time doing it in a private home, all alone.
(I think the caregiver not getting enough sleep is one of the top if not the top reason for placing dementia patients in care centers.)
My mom would wake me up 12 times a night to use the bathroom. Which each one involved a 20 minute ordeal. After three years I decided she needed to go In her bed. I bought a very comfortable 4,000 bed and put railings up and put her on temazapan. She got used to urinating in her diaper and sleeps thru the night without residue. No chance of fall. I give it to her when she is already in bed along with her antidepressants which have a tiny bit of sedation as well. Wakes up same time everyday very happy.
I agree. We. placed my mom shortly after that in a memory care unit because the only way I could be assured she was safe at night was to sleep with her with inner locks on the doors. I couldn't do it for a long period of time as she was up often. The nursing home still gives her modified sleeping meds but they have 24/7 staff to keep her safer.
All of the above give great advice. I ultimately had to get a person at night to keep my husband safe. We used alarms,baby monitors etc.Finally, I had a person who was out of work (not an agency aide)come and watch him at nite.She was much less expensive and happy for the work. You NEED your sleep.Bonniepages had the best advice.
There are some evenings when mom wants to go to bed at 5 p.m. and will actually sleep through to maybe 4 a.m. Other nights, it's 8 p.m. to bed and up at midnight and several times more. Fortunately, I'm able to lie down usually around 9 p.m. and manage to get enough sleep most nights, but I know without an occasional half of a mirtazapine (Remeron) pill, it would be awful for me, and she'd be in a memory care unit right now. The prescription is old, from her previous doc, and I'm likely never going to be able to get a refill as her current doc knows what I'm doing and disapproves, but it usually will put her to sleep on her really bad nights (combativeness, sleeplessness) so that I can get enough rest. I guess you learn that when possible, you rest when they rest. Come January of this next year, I can retire early, not need to rely on the caregiver contract I have, and mom could be placed at that point. Knowing that makes things bearable.
I agree with the others. She may need hers meds increased or changed or something else added. I didn't like to medicate my Mom, either, but sometimes that is the only thing you can do. She was up all night, too, running around and screaming. I was afraid she would fall. And she would sleep most the day, so we had to get her to stay awake during the day. That was difficult. Also, a good point about the caffeine.
Agree with jeannegibbs and bonnie pages. Nocturnal wandering is part of the disease. It doesn't hurt to try any and all of the suggestions especially if it makes you feel involved. Increasing light exposure in the evening, white noise are also things to try.
Something that has saved me, is that I got a motion detector from the Alzheimer's store in GA. It goes off when he gets up (a remote I have with me) I keep our bedroom door locked, and changed locks to outside doors. I should have said about the Melatonin that it was recommended by the Director of the Sleep Disorder Clinic at KU, we started at 3 mg and now using 12. It is over the counter, comes in 3 mg tabs. It cannot hurt.
Talk to her doctor about a condition called sundowner syndrome it's a serious condition that starts like that and progresses and can be dangerous it's one where they end up days and nights mixed up there is medication and in home day physical therapy can help
This drove me over the edge also. I nicknamed my husband "wide awake Willie". He had vascular dementia and was a great risk for falling. A door alarm isn't really going to help because you still have to wake up to deal. I got a bed alarm that chimed when he sat up. I still had to deal, but at least I could get to him before a fall. Ultimately his doctor put him on trazadone and that really helped. The doctor made sure I knew the med doubled the risk of falling but I countered with it should help decrease the chance since he isn't wandering. He has passed now and I must admit it was a relief when he could no longer get out of bed alone. All alarm products can be found on line. Good luck!
I am dealing with the same issue right now. Doors are bolted at the top so she cannot leave the house, gate is at the steps, a bedside commode is in her room so she does not have to leave, and, the doctor just increased her Melatonin to 10mg. I have a chime attached to her door and I am up the second it goes off so that I can usher her back into her room and into bed. No, I get no sleep and my mother is on a waiting list for a nursing home. I have come to realize that this is Alzheimers and this is the way it will be until she is bed bound or goes into longterm care. Find respite care occasionally for your own mental health until you can find a permanent solution. Good luck.
Set up a card table with a puzzle on it in her room. Get books from the library to read and magazines for her to look at until she feels calm and sleepy again. Get her a diary to write in..... hook rug, cross word puzzle book.....
A bed alarm is a great idea. We just got one for my client. It has a remote alarm you can put anywhere in the house that chims when she get up. It works great.Also as suggested med change may be in order to help her sleep better. The getting up at night was what finally broke my sister resulting in mom moving to adult family home. You can only go without sleep for so long.
Also make sure she is getting plenty of exercise\ activity during the day..
Thank you. My mother just went to the doctor for her 3 month check up. No UTI and she is on anxiety meds and they recently increased her antidepressant. Her caregiver during the day is to have her exercise and do activities with her. I've asked her to keep her away from the tv all day as she can't follow the shows and she needs to stay active.
You can try to minimize it. You certainly need to try to keep her safe in spite of it. But basically you have to accept it is part of Alzheimer's. Sorry.
If there were an effective way to stop this wandering behavior, there would be little need for secure "memory care units" in assisted living and nursing homes. One of the quite pleasant and communicative guys in my mother's nh could still do his adls but tended to wander right out of the building. One day in the dining room he showed everyone his ankle bracelet intended to keep track of him. It was hard to tell whether he was bragging or complaining. A few weeks later he wasn't around anymore and we learned he was "upstairs" in the dementia unit. Apparently the bracelet wasn't sufficient to keep him safe.
If professionals need round-the-clock supervision and a secure facility to keep wandering dementia patients safe, don't be hard on yourself if you are having a hard time doing it in a private home, all alone.
(I think the caregiver not getting enough sleep is one of the top if not the top reason for placing dementia patients in care centers.)
I should have said about the Melatonin that it was recommended by the Director of the Sleep Disorder Clinic at KU, we started at 3 mg and now using 12. It is over the counter, comes in 3 mg tabs. It cannot hurt.
All alarm products can be found on line. Good luck!