Dementia and tiredness

[twinklestar]

I have a question about tiredness and dementia. When mum was first diagnosed I was told that the tiredness would get worse and that she would start to sleep more until eventually she slept most of the time.

Mum has, in the recent past, had two 'unresponsive' episodes. The first was just a visit and discharge from A&E and the second was put down to postural hypertension with her meds being amended. After this was done she was fine. Both of these episodes occurred as she was waking up or not as the case may be.

We had another episode on Christmas day. The carer was due to come at 8.55am as opposed to the normal 8am so I thought I would take a cup of tea at 8.15 so she could slowly come round to the day. However, I could not rouse mum properly. It was clear she could hear me because her eyes flickered. It was as if she was having difficulty waking up. Anyway, that is what we put it down to. Anyway, at about 10am she did wake up and got up to go to the loo. She went back to bed and spent the best part of the day in bed asleep. Boxing day she got up with the help of th carer but was clearly very tired. Whilst I appreciate there could also be other reasons for mum's behaviour it is our current belief that mum was very tried. So my question to you is this - is there a specific form of tiredness linked to dementia and how do you deal with it?

It is our current plan to try and get mum changed for bed and washed a bit earlier that we have done in the past. We are trying to encourage her to get changed into her nightie and dressing gown and have a quick wash. She can then come back down and watch a bit of TV safe in the knowledge that once she is tired she can is ready for bed and there will be no stress of getting her into bed.

 

[LYN T]

I don't know if there is a specific form of tiredness but plenty of people post about tiredness. My OH could sleep even when he was eating. It wasn't a deep sleep such as when he was properly asleep more of an inability to come round fully.

Your plan to get your Mum changed earlier sounds like a very good idea.

Take care

Lyn T XX

 

[marionq]

I don't know if there is a specific form of tiredness but plenty of people post about tiredness. My OH could sleep even when he was eating. It wasn't a deep sleep such as when he was properly asleep more of an inability to come round fully.

Your plan to get your Mum changed earlier sounds like a very good idea.

Take care

Lyn T XX

My grandchildren used to get very concerned when my husband did this Lyn but I had become so used to his eyes shut when he was eating that I had stopped noticing. One morning recently though he went into such a deep sleep at breakfast I thought he had had a stroke. Nothing lasts with this disease and he no longer does this but needs at least an hour to eat a simple meal. Tiredness in general is now intermittent.

 

[Spamar]

If day dreams are sleep then OH can sleep when walking! I have to tell him to concentrate on walking, otherwise he just stands there, sticks in hand, not moving. Very annoying if I'm behind him, trying to get through!

 

[velo70]

Tiredness

My wife has recently become extremely tired. About 3 days in 7, she shows no interest in wanting to get up for any breakfast, and I take her a cup of tea about 9ish. She mostly doesn't drink the tea, and just wants to lie and doze or sleep. She will eat a bowl of porridge (favourite starter) and then lies back and sleeps again. She is about 2 years or so, and this phase seems to have come in the last couple of months. So sad, in that she previously enjoyed going for a walk, round the park or harbours in our area. We even recently had our first great grandson, but even that does not spark any enthusiasm, and she just loves 'em.