Crying!!

[loobeylou]

My Mum has started crying all the time. Not full blown sobbing but constantly like crocodile tears. If I ask her why she is crying she doesn't
really know most of the time but occasionally she is missing my Dad or sorry for all the young men who have died? She wakes up crying and goes to sleep crying and only really stops to eat. Has anyone else have this problem as it is really hard to cope with!

 

[lollyc]

I had a similar problem with my mum. Not crying all the time, but frequently and for absolutely no reason (she even said that herself) and it was really difficult to cope with. Her GP prescribed Mirtazapine, an anti-depressant, which did help, athough we've recently had to up the dose, as the crying started again. Definitely worth speaking to her doctor.

 

[Helly68]

A lady in the same EMI unit as my Mum was had this issue. She was comforted by a baby doll - dementia dolls are very much a thing and can work well to relieve anxiety with some PWD.
The doll gave her something to cuddle and comfort and she often "fed" it as well. Seems strange but it did seems to lessen her anxiety.

 

[lemonbalm]

My mum used to cry a lot when she thought we were all back in the war but living in France or Germany. She seemed to get stuck there for weeks and nothing could convince her otherwise. I wonder if she had seen something on tv which made her think that or perhaps, being in the care home, thought she'd been evacuated again, to a place she didn't really know. It seemed to fade away eventually. Perhaps your mum has got stuck in a sad place.

Good ideas about checking with the GP (My mum has an anti-depressant which does seem to help) and also trying something to cuddle. My mum takes great comfort from a toy Shaun the Sheep I sent her when the lockdown started. The carers say she loves cuddling it. It's an image which makes me cry and smile at the same time.

Have you tried playing music that your mum particularly enjoys? It can be very powerful for lifting the mood, especially if you mum can sing/hum along. Sounds silly but it really can work amazingly well.

 

[Hazara8]

My Mum has started crying all the time. Not full blown sobbing but constantly like crocodile tears. If I ask her why she is crying she doesn't
really know most of the time but occasionally she is missing my Dad or sorry for all the young men who have died? She wakes up crying and goes to sleep crying and only really stops to eat. Has anyone else have this problem as it is really hard to cope with!

There is a presentation named Pseudobulbar which is seen in Alzheimer's. This can result in excessive crying. The crying comes about it seems by way the brain handles emotion. I have seen this also with continuous laughing in Care Home residents. Often appropriate medication can alleviate what is clearly distressing for all concerned.