Can anyone help as I have so many questions?

IcareformyMum

Registered User
Mar 22, 2014
13
0
Bristol
Hi, I am new to this forum and new to caring for my Mum! :confused:

My Mum was diagnosed in January this year as having Alzhiemers (although Me and Dad had concerns much earlier but avoided the inevitable:() she is currently taking Aricept 5mg 1 x daily - not sure if we are supposed to notice a difference - as yet we are not!

I have recently decided to become her full time carer as things are not getting any better and my Dad still works (I think it is important for him to still work as it gives him his own space) I had resigned from my job in January as my boss was being very difficult regarding time off (holiday) to attend appts with my Mum and Dad as Mum requires a wheelchair is she leaves the house due to severe Osteoarthiritis in her ankles/feet, I had planned to return to full time work as I have my own home and family (Husband and 10yr old son) and financially I needed to - however my Parents come first! We have recently put in a claim for attendance allowance which in turn if Mum is successful with this I can then (and only then) put in a claim for carers allowance so at the moment my parents are supporting me financially (I am not happy about this, neither is my Husband but we have no choice).

My main concern at the moment is that my Mum is not sleeping very well despite the fact she takes sleeping pills - Temazepam 10mg, this affects my Dad as I cover the daytime and he covers the night time. Mum always used to get up in the night and use the toilet but then return to bed without a problem, she had to have a small operation on her toes a month ago (General anaesthetic, day case surgery) and since then her sleep pattern is worse than ever!
She can get up several times in the night and then proceeds to get dressed at silly o'clock - 1am,3am,5am etc My Dad then has to explain what the time is and then battle to get her back into bed as she says it's time to get up even though it is still dark outside, she sometimes will get undressed and get into bed but on some occasions she refuses and gets in fully clothed.
She never sleeps during the day, occasionally says she is tired.

Although Mum uses a wheelchair when we go out it makes no difference to her sleep pattern even if we spend all day out in the fresh air, I have tried playing games/puzzles with her to stimulate her during the day and again this has no effect.

Does anyone have any tips or advice for securing my Dad a goods night sleep occasionally?

Thanks, and sorry if I have rambled - this is the first time I have been able to talk to anyone who understands as well as just sympathising:)
 

Pookie

Registered User
Dec 29, 2011
1,065
0
Sorry can't help but can send you ( (((((cuddles ) ) ) ) for strength.

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stanleypj

Registered User
Dec 8, 2011
10,712
0
North West
Hi and welcome to TP.

I would suggest that, since the sleeping pill doesn't seem to be working, you could ask the GP for a different one or ask the GP's advice about a possible trial period with no sleeping pills.

Also, as you may know, 'not sleeping well' is one of the common side-effects of Aricept so you probably want to ask about this as well.
 
Last edited:

Pookie

Registered User
Dec 29, 2011
1,065
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You're welcome.

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IcareformyMum

Registered User
Mar 22, 2014
13
0
Bristol
Hi and welcome to TP.

I would suggest that, since the sleeping pill doesn't seem to be working, you could ask the GP for a different one or ask the GP's advice about a possible trial period with no sleeping pills.

Also, as you may know, 'not sleeping well' is also one of the common side-effects of Aricept so you probably want to ask about this as well.

Thanks for the welcome to TP

We started with a different type of sleeping tablet and that did not work either (sorry unable to remeber the name of it) and apparently there are only a couple of sleeping pills that they are happy to prescribe for pt's with Alzhiemers.
The sleeping pills were only introduced as sleeping pattern has got worse, My Dad has tried without to see if it made a difference (as he is not keen on Mum taking too many tablets as she is now 77 yrs of age and Aricept is her only medication as she is otherwise quite well) but sadly not. :(

The GP advised us that the Aricept may cause bad dreams/nightmares but she did not suggest that it would prevent her from "sleeping well" and I expressed my concerns to the GP regarding the lack of sleep my Dad is getting. Mum is certainly not having any bad dreams/nightmares. - I think I will have to look up this Aricept a little better!!!

Thaks for the advice :)
 

FifiMo

Registered User
Feb 10, 2010
4,703
0
Wiltshire
Hiya and welcome to TP.

The thing with sleeping medications is that they increase the risk of falls and if your mum already had problems with her mobility then a fall could have very serious consequences for her.

Sometimes what can work is for you to make the house safe. If she can't use the cooker or kettle etc then perhaps leave a drink out in the lounge and put a lock on the kitchen door. Make sure she can't get out of the house too. Clear away any other hazards that you can see and then if she is up during the night then you know she is safe. Leave the TV on when you go to bed so she has some company if she does get up. This is a difficult phase to go through because as much as your mum can function on next to no sleep, the rest of us can't. Particularly if we have to work too.

With regards to your own financial situation... have you perhaps considered your mum going to day care? This might allow you to work part time if nothing else and it can reduce the caring burden during the day so you and your dad are able to cope better on a long term basis outside of the day care hours.

One other thing you might consider if your parents house can facilitate it and that is to move a bed into the lounge so that your mum's living arrangements are contained to the one area. If she can see the bed from her chair she might be more inclined to go lie down for a nap. If a bed isn't possible then perhaps consider a recliner chair for her.

Fiona
 

IcareformyMum

Registered User
Mar 22, 2014
13
0
Bristol
Hiya and welcome to TP.

The thing with sleeping medications is that they increase the risk of falls and if your mum already had problems with her mobility then a fall could have very serious consequences for her.

Sometimes what can work is for you to make the house safe. If she can't use the cooker or kettle etc then perhaps leave a drink out in the lounge and put a lock on the kitchen door. Make sure she can't get out of the house too. Clear away any other hazards that you can see and then if she is up during the night then you know she is safe. Leave the TV on when you go to bed so she has some company if she does get up. This is a difficult phase to go through because as much as your mum can function on next to no sleep, the rest of us can't. Particularly if we have to work too.

With regards to your own financial situation... have you perhaps considered your mum going to day care? This might allow you to work part time if nothing else and it can reduce the caring burden during the day so you and your dad are able to cope better on a long term basis outside of the day care hours.

One other thing you might consider if your parents house can facilitate it and that is to move a bed into the lounge so that your mum's living arrangements are contained to the one area. If she can see the bed from her chair she might be more inclined to go lie down for a nap. If a bed isn't possible then perhaps consider a recliner chair for her.

Fiona

Hi Fiona

Mum has only had 2 small falls in the last 2 years fortunately and she has not hury herself badly but I agree this will only make things worse.
(when she had her foot operation recently she continually removed the dressings so if she were to hurt herself again we would have the same probs with plasters/bandages!)

Thanks for the idea of moving her bed - there would be the space in the lounge but I do not think that would work (at the moment) as when she wakes she usually then wants to cuddle with my Dad to go back to sleep.

The house is safe at night as my Dad ensures there is nothing left on and the house is always secure so she could not get out without him, they do have a small dog though - he sleeps in a cage in the dining room at night to avoid him causing a possible accident if she get's up - but if she were to go downstairs he would start to bark as she will be disturbing him - sorry, I feel like I am dismissing everything you and others are suggesting/advising when in actual fact I have learnt so much from you all already:p

With regards to a day centre - I appreciate you do not live in my area but do you know how I would go about getting Mum enrolled in something like this? - I think it would be a good idea for her as we try to encourage her to socialise but she is not keen - I am sure this is the same for others too.

Thanks Fiona - Much appreciated advice ;)
 

FifiMo

Registered User
Feb 10, 2010
4,703
0
Wiltshire
For a day centre, contact your adult social services department and ask for a needs assessment for your mum (and a carer's assessment for you and/or your dad). You can find them under your local authority online or in the phone book. They are your route to getting your mum the support and attention that she needs.

Fiona
 

IcareformyMum

Registered User
Mar 22, 2014
13
0
Bristol
For a day centre, contact your adult social services department and ask for a needs assessment for your mum (and a carer's assessment for you and/or your dad). You can find them under your local authority online or in the phone book. They are your route to getting your mum the support and attention that she needs.

Fiona

Thanks again Fiona, Have just got the contact details from Internet and will be giving them a call on Monday
 

gerry200

Registered User
Jan 19, 2014
45
0
Cumbria
Hi! My mother was getting up 5 times a night when she was on Aricept which went on for a year or two until the Psychiatric nurse said that it was over stimulating her and moved her on to memantine which seems to be used in the later stages of Alzheimer's. She almost immediately started sleeping 12 hours at night and is much calmer and relaxed, though still has her moments - for example it is sometimes hard to get her up in the morning!

I don't know that much about it , but I know that Carer's allowance is backdated from the date you applied, and that it might be worth just popping in an application saying that Attendance Allowance is applied for and let them work it out themselves - it mounts up very quickly and it's a shame to miss even a week.

Your social care worker is the key to all services as others have said and I would definitely recommend Daycentre as one service to access. My mother goes twice a week and one one day I work and on the other I catch up with friends, go to the cinema, go for a walk - something for me - and in the holidays, something for my teenage daughter and I.

Wishing you well.

Gerry