Mum has started waking up at night and calling out because she thinks there is no one in the house. I have been telling her to go back to bed because it is the middle of the night and she is going back to sleep almost immediately, the problem is the me and OH are then unable to sleep, having been woken up suddenly by her shouting. We are walking around like a pair of zombies today.
Mum calling out at night
- Thread starter Batsue
- Start date
Dear Sue,
If you read my latest thread you will know that I told dad to go away! Anyway he banged on my door at 3 am three months ago because he got up to go to the toilet and he couldn't get back to his room. He also asked me where everybody else was (there are two of us) and first of all I pointed to his room and then I said first of all there are only two of us here and even if there were other people they would be in bed now. In our case I installed sensor lights and put labels on doors but you should read Lady A's response to my thread and my reply. It is very difficult caring for a parent but we did have some lovely lunch out today and I am enjoying the times when I can take dad out and still have some independence.
MaNaAk
This is my first post here and I am also suffering from lack of sleep as mother is constantly calling in the night and coming into bedroom (she has many falls and walks with difficulty) She is almost 96 and I have been her full time carer for 2 1/2 years ... the dementia is really bad now. She is so unhappy at night when she goes to bed, she talks to invisible people chattering all night !! I am exhausted ..
I have similar problems with my OH shouting in my ear or waking me to ask some truly bizarre questions. Like you I have trouble getting back to sleep whilst my wife just drops off again. The Consultant added Memantine to my wife's meds as he felt that would help with this and other issues. She started on the Memantine last night and I got a nights peace. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the future as I'm sure last night was just a fluke and it may take a few weeks for the Memantine to kick in!
Thank you for your replies, so far she is not doing it every night although one night she tried to get into our bedroom, luckily our door was locked as waking with someone looming over me is not something I could deal with. I have booked an appointment with our GP on Monday as there definitely seems to have been a down turn in the last few months.
I have same problems with Dad - he gets back to sleep straight away once I've sorted him out and then I'm tossing and turning for at least another 2 hours. He's been put on Mirtazapine and Melatonin but one of each seems to knock him out for too long making it hard to even wake him and half of each which is what I'm trying at the moment seems to be the best combination we've come up so far after discussing with Drs. The last few nights Dad has been sleeping through and I am still tossing and turning all night even with half a sleeping tablet.
I have said this on other threads....so sorry if you have heard it already. I don't have a solution for the PWD waking ...but I too have trouble getting back to sleep. But I do find, if I have had a valerian tea bag, I can manage to,drop off again, but they don't make me sleep so heavily that I can't wake when I need to. (About three times a night at the moment!)
Hi Sue, I wish I got a £1 for every time some one had woken up in the middle of the night unable to find out where they are or have been (Sun Downing) or so many other things that make them wake up for no reason. Most times we have found that the person concerned just needs reassurance and a little chat. Have you discovered where she is in time, date and place? If you can establish where she is and what year she is in you have got a very good chance of having quite a productive chat. Don't try to reorientation her because it will only make things worse. Go along with the time date and place she is in and steer the conversation around to what her needs are. I have just been diagnosed with early dementia but I think I have had the type I have got for about 12-15 years. I am sometimes somewhere else and I am not happy if someone tries to bring me back to the here and now. I think I enjoy where I am most of the time. She might be hungry or be thirsty. She might not be able to regulate her body heat so is either too warm or too cold so have some refreshments like a flask of Horlicks's or something else that she likes to drink. Always look on the bright side of life and keep a warm persona when dealing with her any time any place. Remember you might be where she is one day and just think how would you want people to care for you at difficult times. Lastly have a fan handy if she say's she is hot or a nice warm blanket if she feels cold. Good luck best regards Oldman
Please follow Oldman's advice as he is speaking from personal experience of being a dementia sufferer himself I will certainly be following his advice. Last Friday the doctor was able to talk about dad's bloodtest and diabetes but he couldnn't give any advice on how to cope if dad wants to go back to Malaysia. Also my brother has just told me that he is going to move away but I am not so bothered about this because I have been pretty much looking after on my won but with carers.
Good luck everyone
MaNaAk
