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I take care of her 24/7 so this has become a concern for me. I try arousing and waking her but she gets irritable. Even when I can get her out of the house, we get home and she is sleeping again. When she wakes she is delusional and confused.
What is the doctor saying? or maybe you have not approached them yet.
I guess this awful condition has a myriad of symptoms. If the type of dementia is vascular dementia, then sleeping a lot seems to be a common symptom of this type.
I'm sure others will reply and let you know from personal experience how they dealt with this symptom.
I just want to give you support as someone that understand the difficulties of looking after an elderly mom.
First your mom is 94 so I'm sure just being that age is tiring as the body is winding down. And then you add dementia on top of it and of course she's wanting to sleep all the time. Why don't you just let her sleep? I myself would not be very happy if all I wanted to do was sleep and my loved one kept trying to wake me up. When the body is getting ready to transition from this world to the next sleeping a lot is very common, so have you brought hospice on board yet? If not I certainly would ASAP. My late husband in his last year slept anywhere from 16 -20 hours a day, and he was under hospice care for the last 22 months of his life. So when he was sleeping so much I knew that that was just part of the process and it didn't concern me at all. Your mom is probably just tired of living at this point, so again bring hospice on board and let her sleep.
My daddy slept all the time. He would sleep for three hours in his chair then go to bed for seven hours. He would sleep during the day in his chair on and off. I let him do this because I believed he earned it. He worked all his life since he was 14. So by the time he was 80 after raising six kids and working three jobs he earned his time to do what he wanted.
Be grateful she's sleeping and not screaming that she wants to go home. Some of them do.
I believe (from personal experience, not anything I've been told) that dementia patients' brains recharge while they sleep, just as normal brains do.
What should we expect from a 94-year-old, anyway? Running a mile every morning, playing pickleball and dancing the night away? I think not. Let's stop helicopter caregiving people who want to take it easy. We'll be there ourselves, someday.
Hi, at this point I think you are right. I have read there are 4 questions to ask yourself 1 is she safe 2 is she being cared for 3 is she taken her meds, eating and hydrated 4 is she a danger to herself or others Like you said at 94 what do we expect. I don’t feel she should be doing anything she doesn’t want to do.
My 88 YO wife has the same problem, she will sleep most of the day, then stay awake most of the night. This has been going on for about two years. I've had no success changing this sleep pattern. Consequently, my sleep pattern has had to adjust to match - to some extent. The local Alzheimer's Org. suggests attempting to keep the patient awake during the day - however, when I try, things get somewhat testy.
Sometimes the people who give advice to caregivers have no actual experience in caregiving.
If Alzheimers Org wants to come over and put on a dog and pony show to keep your wife awake during the daytime, by all means they should do it. That's not going to happen, and you found out it doesn't work anyway. So quit trying (as you appear to have done, and good for you).
Have you talked to her doctor about sleep meds for nighttime? It's worth a try.
You may need to place her where she has 24/7 care. They're used to it, and the night owls can often move about freely and be happy. You'd be happy too. If you don't get enough sleep, bad things could happen to your health, and that isn't good.
My aunt does this. She sleeps most of the day, or nods off when you talk to her, but at night, she's up all night. Not sure why she does this. It's hard.
Go to Alz.org and read up about dementia and the stages. Your mom is obviously well past the early stage of dementia if she's sleeping so much and waking up delusional and confused. Leave her be to sleep as much as she likes and look into a hospice evaluation for her.
Hi Lady - is there anything that you mom likes to do - any hobbies - that can be an incentive for getting her up and out of bed? It may be difficult if she's in a routine staying in bed, so it may take steps. Is there something that she likes to eat - or read - or an activity that can keep her interested?
Have you spoken to her doctor about this? Maybe telling her that her doctor instructed her to get out of bed by a certain hour so she can start her day - and then keeping her on a schedule. Even if she takes a nap in the afternoon, it's fine once she's been more active earlier. I literally wrote a schedule out for my parents to follow - after breakfast and their washing up, then various exercises they can do mainly when sitting...after lunch, reading the newspaper and or a book or a board game...then sitting outside. Of course, I don't live there, so I'm not sure what they follow, but I'll adhere to it when there.
Hi hope, mom is not in bed all day. I get her up every day, wash or shower, dressed, has breakfast together. She spends her day in her recliner with the tv on.
Unfortunately, I know this all too well. My heart goes out to you. My siblings and I were helping my stepdad to take care of my mom in the home up until last month. She’s 85 , so what you’re dealing with, is upsetting I’m sure. My mom was diagnosed only about a year ago and she has declined so much now, physically, and mentally, and is basically bedridden , sleeping mostly all the time. As we age, it’s very common not with just the dementia but with ageing. My sister and I and my stepdad were her only caregivers at home, and it was insanely hard, and exhausting. She’s been in a nursing home just since July. Are you her only caregiver?
If she is irritated and confused when she's awake, let her sleep. I know you are worried, it's understandable. But what she needs right now is to be comfortable.
When she's awake, give her ensure for nutrients. Let her sleep, and just be there for her.
Speak with her doctor about this, but at age 94, she's entitled to rest if she needs it. Her body (and mind) may be beginning to shut down. Make her as comfortable as you can and make her days as enjoyable as you can, with her more limited abilities. Don't force her to do anything that's not necessary. Get a schedule for bathing (2 to 3 times a week), eating, toileting, etc. Try to find passive things that she can do that interest her (watch TV or movies - not violent shows, play soft music, etc.) Consult with your state's Department of Aging to get someone you can talk to about what to expect as your mother ages and benefits your mother is entitled to. My mother was in a memory care facility and they ordered a Geri chair for her (Medicare paid for it). It's a safe, reclining chair. In her last years, when she couldn't walk, my mother spent much of her time. If your mother is still able to walk, but is getting weaker, a walker (or wheel chair) might be beneficial.
Can you tell us a bit more about why you think it important that she be awake?
As an old retired RN now 81 I can reassure you that they do sleep more and are honestly quite over being awake. As My Dad said in his early 90s, he longed for the last long nap. He had had a wonderful life, but he was exhausted with life, and ready to go.
You just call the hospice agency of your choice and ask them to come out and do an evaluation on your mother. They will come out promptly and if she qualifies, they will have a nurse come out once a week to start to check her vitals, aides to come bathe her at least twice a week and they will supply any and all needed equipment, supplies and medications all covered under your mothers Medicare. You will also have access to their social worker, clergy and volunteers. Wishing you and your mother the very best.
To oversimplify the answer, let her sleep and arrange for hospice to come in for an evaluation. Don't use the H word; just say it's a new service her favorite doctor is offering. Your main issue will be dehydration and toileting. Can she wake enough to be spoonfed sips of water? Bless you as you and her PC make plans.
Ladyd67: Perhaps your mother is well past the early stage of dementia since she, of course, is requiring more sleep and wakes up confused. Consider hospice.
Have 8 Reasons - January 29, 2022 by Serenity Senior Care
Older adults may require 12 to 14 hours per night for optimal performance, compared with eight for younger adults and seven for infants. It is theorized that this increased amount of time spent in bed speeds up cellular repair throughout the body by a factor between four and fivefold over three decades. Beyond age 65, the amount of time spent sleeping increases by one hour every five years while obtaining a half-hour less sleep per night.
8 Reasons Why Old People Sleep So Much
1. Aging - One of the reasons people sleep so much as they age is their bodies, specifically their brains. Sleep is a deep state from which people have difficulty waking up. Older adults tend to have more trouble getting into and staying in this deep sleep. The result can be tossing and turning throughout the night, leading to many light sleepers. The deep sleep that old people get is a sleepy, almost unconscious state characterized by lowered brain activity. These individuals become very unresponsive to external stimuli, which can cause miscommunication and misunderstandings, leading to several problems. In addition, older people are more likely to experience sleep apnea because their bodies produce less oxygen during sleep. This leads them to snore heavily, which can be particularly problematic for spouses.
2. Depression - It is a factor in a person’s need for more sleep. It can be a symptom of other health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, or it can be an effect of the medication being taken. Depression is often characterized by a lack of energy and feelings of sadness or worthlessness, leading to changes in sleeping patterns that require more time in bed. Some medications prescribed to treat depression can cause a change in sleep patterns, but this is probably not the case with all drugs. An antidepressant prescribed for depression would most likely not cause insomnia unless there are no other underlying sleep problems.
3. Health Problem - From arthritis to depression, most health problems can lead to fatigue and excessive sleeping. It might be a health problem. Their organs are slowing down, and they have less energy. As a result, their body needs more rest to work effectively. When people grow older, they also spend more time sleeping because they can’t do as many things as quickly as before. Sleep signifies the end of one’s day and enables the body to make quick repairs.
4. Lifestyle - Sleep helps maintain our physical and psychological health. Sleeping also improves memory and slows down the process of aging. To stop the effects of aging, we need to sleep more. That’s why it’s recommended that seniors over the age of 65 get between seven and eight hours a night.
5. Surgeries cause the immune system to stop working well, making them more susceptible to infections, meaning their bodies are less protected from germs and diseases and extremely weak during surgery. Older people spend more time sleeping because they would otherwise suffer from complications as they grow older.
6. Boredom - The less bored people are, the more sleep they get. When engaged in life, people have a lot of things to do and occupy their thoughts. Without something to keep them busy or curious about life, it’s easy for folks to get bored + exhausted as a result.
7. Exhaustion - Circadian rhythms change as we age equally a natural slowdown in energy production. Sleep becomes more important as the body recovers and restores lost energy. For seniors, getting proper rest can help combat forgetfulness and confusion, which can often result from aging-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.
8. The Side Effects of Meds - Some meds come with health risks + side effects , incl loss of sleep. Older people taking meds for insomnia experience little to no sleep (due to) the med may have a sleep-inducing effect that blunts the body’s natural sleep drive.
I read somewhere a long time ago, that the elderly need their sleep. I can vouch that my Mom does not get good sleep at night, hence she does take quite a few naps during the day.
However, if you were to talk to my MOM about it, she says she NEVER takes a nap in the afternoon because otherwise she cannot sleep at night. HAH!
Anyway, my leaning is to always let my Mom sleep when she wants to. There have been a couple of times that I woke her up to get out of the car. In nearly all cases, even if I waited a full 5 minutes for her to wake up, her legs would not function. She would tell tell that she couldn't walk, or worse, her legs would crumple from under her, meaning that she had a "fall" (since I was there, she didn't truly fall, but ended up to be deadweight in the transfer process.)
So, let her sleep.
P.S. For awhile, my Mom slept more than she was awake. Then after about 2 weeks of this behavior, she returned to her normal sleep/wake pattern. She has since done this about once a quarter....then returning to normal.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
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APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
What is the doctor saying? or maybe you have not approached them yet.
I guess this awful condition has a myriad of symptoms. If the type of dementia is vascular dementia, then sleeping a lot seems to be a common symptom of this type.
I'm sure others will reply and let you know from personal experience how they dealt with this symptom.
I just want to give you support as someone that understand the difficulties of looking after an elderly mom.
Take care, Blessings.
Why don't you just let her sleep? I myself would not be very happy if all I wanted to do was sleep and my loved one kept trying to wake me up.
When the body is getting ready to transition from this world to the next sleeping a lot is very common, so have you brought hospice on board yet? If not I certainly would ASAP.
My late husband in his last year slept anywhere from 16 -20 hours a day, and he was under hospice care for the last 22 months of his life. So when he was sleeping so much I knew that that was just part of the process and it didn't concern me at all.
Your mom is probably just tired of living at this point, so again bring hospice on board and let her sleep.
I believe (from personal experience, not anything I've been told) that dementia patients' brains recharge while they sleep, just as normal brains do.
What should we expect from a 94-year-old, anyway? Running a mile every morning, playing pickleball and dancing the night away? I think not. Let's stop helicopter caregiving people who want to take it easy. We'll be there ourselves, someday.
1 is she safe
2 is she being cared for
3 is she taken her meds, eating and hydrated
4 is she a danger to herself or others
Like you said at 94 what do we expect. I don’t feel she should be doing anything she doesn’t want to do.
If Alzheimers Org wants to come over and put on a dog and pony show to keep your wife awake during the daytime, by all means they should do it. That's not going to happen, and you found out it doesn't work anyway. So quit trying (as you appear to have done, and good for you).
Have you talked to her doctor about sleep meds for nighttime? It's worth a try.
You may need to place her where she has 24/7 care. They're used to it, and the night owls can often move about freely and be happy. You'd be happy too. If you don't get enough sleep, bad things could happen to your health, and that isn't good.
Best of luck to you
Have you spoken to her doctor about this? Maybe telling her that her doctor instructed her to get out of bed by a certain hour so she can start her day - and then keeping her on a schedule. Even if she takes a nap in the afternoon, it's fine once she's been more active earlier. I literally wrote a schedule out for my parents to follow - after breakfast and their washing up, then various exercises they can do mainly when sitting...after lunch, reading the newspaper and or a book or a board game...then sitting outside. Of course, I don't live there, so I'm not sure what they follow, but I'll adhere to it when there.
When she's awake, give her ensure for nutrients.
Let her sleep, and just be there for her.
Big hug 🫂
As an old retired RN now 81 I can reassure you that they do sleep more and are honestly quite over being awake. As My Dad said in his early 90s, he longed for the last long nap. He had had a wonderful life, but he was exhausted with life, and ready to go.
You will also have access to their social worker, clergy and volunteers.
Wishing you and your mother the very best.
Older adults may require 12 to 14 hours per night for optimal performance, compared with eight for younger adults and seven for infants. It is theorized that this increased amount of time spent in bed speeds up cellular repair throughout the body by a factor between four and fivefold over three decades. Beyond age 65, the amount of time spent sleeping increases by one hour every five years while obtaining a half-hour less sleep per night.
8 Reasons Why Old People Sleep So Much
1. Aging - One of the reasons people sleep so much as they age is their bodies, specifically their brains. Sleep is a deep state from which people have difficulty waking up. Older adults tend to have more trouble getting into and staying in this deep sleep. The result can be tossing and turning throughout the night, leading to many light sleepers. The deep sleep that old people get is a sleepy, almost unconscious state characterized by lowered brain activity. These individuals become very unresponsive to external stimuli, which can cause miscommunication and misunderstandings, leading to several problems. In addition, older people are more likely to experience sleep apnea because their bodies produce less oxygen during sleep. This leads them to snore heavily, which can be particularly problematic for spouses.
2. Depression - It is a factor in a person’s need for more sleep. It can be a symptom of other health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, or it can be an effect of the medication being taken. Depression is often characterized by a lack of energy and feelings of sadness or worthlessness, leading to changes in sleeping patterns that require more time in bed. Some medications prescribed to treat depression can cause a change in sleep patterns, but this is probably not the case with all drugs. An antidepressant prescribed for depression would most likely not cause insomnia unless there are no other underlying sleep problems.
3. Health Problem - From arthritis to depression, most health problems can lead to fatigue and excessive sleeping. It might be a health problem. Their organs are slowing down, and they have less energy. As a result, their body needs more rest to work effectively. When people grow older, they also spend more time sleeping because they can’t do as many things as quickly as before. Sleep signifies the end of one’s day and enables the body to make quick repairs.
4. Lifestyle - Sleep helps maintain our physical and psychological health. Sleeping also improves memory and slows down the process of aging. To stop the effects of aging, we need to sleep more. That’s why it’s recommended that seniors over the age of 65 get between seven and eight hours a night.
5. Surgeries cause the immune system to stop working well, making them more susceptible to infections, meaning their bodies are less protected from germs and diseases and extremely weak during surgery. Older people spend more time sleeping because they would otherwise suffer from complications as they grow older.
6. Boredom - The less bored people are, the more sleep they get. When engaged in life, people have a lot of things to do and occupy their thoughts. Without something to keep them busy or curious about life, it’s easy for folks to get bored + exhausted as a result.
7. Exhaustion - Circadian rhythms change as we age equally a natural slowdown in energy production. Sleep becomes more important as the body recovers and restores lost energy. For seniors, getting proper rest can help combat forgetfulness and confusion, which can often result from aging-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.
8. The Side Effects of Meds - Some meds come with health risks + side effects , incl loss of sleep. Older people taking meds for insomnia experience little to no sleep (due to) the med may have a sleep-inducing effect that blunts the body’s natural sleep drive.
Gena / Touch Matters
However, if you were to talk to my MOM about it, she says she NEVER takes a nap in the afternoon because otherwise she cannot sleep at night. HAH!
Anyway, my leaning is to always let my Mom sleep when she wants to. There have been a couple of times that I woke her up to get out of the car. In nearly all cases, even if I waited a full 5 minutes for her to wake up, her legs would not function. She would tell tell that she couldn't walk, or worse, her legs would crumple from under her, meaning that she had a "fall" (since I was there, she didn't truly fall, but ended up to be deadweight in the transfer process.)
So, let her sleep.
P.S. For awhile, my Mom slept more than she was awake. Then after about 2 weeks of this behavior, she returned to her normal sleep/wake pattern. She has since done this about once a quarter....then returning to normal.
https://alzconnected.org/discussion/66636/mci-and-sleeping
https://alzconnected.org/discussion/61723/sleep-schedule
let her sleep. Maybe her body is tired…. It’s ok…
if she goes in her sleep, it maybe more peaceful….
Let her sleep…