any advice for me someone

[aaronsaunty]

hello everyone
has anyone had a problem like this?
my father has dementia and has started to stoop when walking any info much appreciated thanks

 

[connie]

Hello aaron, welcome to TP.

You don't tell us how old dad is, or how long he has been diagnosed. Maybe it's irrevelant.

Lionel started stooping quite early on in his illness, but then, mobility and lack of spatial awareness were the first things to go with him.

Stooping, leaning to one side, shuffling........some people may have one, all or none of these traits. Try not to worry, but please join us again soon.

 

[aaronsaunty]

hi connie
dad is 75 and the doctor thinks he has had dementia for at least 5 years but he
went downhill from last year as 2 of his sisters and my gran -mums mum died within 6 months of each other
thanks for listening i will join you again !

 

[Margarita]

When my mother started to stoop she needed a zimmer frame to get around , she did not want to use one , but when she went to her first respite they gave her one , she got use to it and they let her keep it .

 

[Gill W]

Strange one this one, isn't it?

My Gran also stoops, she looks to all intents and purposes like she has a hump on the upper part of her spine. Although when required she can stand up straight, shoulders back and look you straight in the eye.

Gran spends a lot of time sitting in her chair now, she's not as active as she used to be, and I think some of it stems from the fact that she often falls asleep with her head down, looking at her knees. It seems to be a common posture for her there and I think it kind of "sets" her in that position.

I also think it aids her in seeing where she's going when walking, she is looking at the floor to make sure of where she has to put her feet? I could be wrong, but just something I've thought of.

Gill
xx

 

[Margarita]

How strange sounds just what my mother does .

Although when required she can stand up straight, shoulders back and look you straight in the eye.

Gran spends a lot of time sitting in her chair now, she's not as active as she used to be, and I think some of it stems from the fact that she often falls asleep with her head down, looking at her knees.

I also think it aids her in seeing where she's going when walking, she is looking at the floor to make sure of where she has to put her feet?

I always thought that also , but where my mother AZ has now advance , when she is so eager with getting up , like when they come to pick her up for day center , she forget Zimmer frame forget to look down stand up straight, take rushing step forward

while man from day center looks on in amazement

while I have to rush towards her with Zimmer frame , because as soon as she outside front door holding on to wall with one hand. in street she loses all balance , gets scared and remembers that she needs Zimmer frame Or someone arm, and is looking down at her steps

 

[Margarita]

Few years back my occupational therapy , told me not to keep letting mum sit laying in bed or in chair all day , because her muscles in her legs will became so weak that she won't be able to walk , that she sees it happen to a lot of elderly people even with out AZ .

(also laying down in bed of on all day is not good , it effects the organ in the body as it can make one dizzy from laying down to much in bed, so when they wake up walk they more likely to have a fall )

My mother would sit all day in chair or lay in bed all day if I let her , could be part of the AZ taking her motivation away and part depression . also her medication for AZ , make her sleepy

That is why I push so much for my mother to go to day-center , other wise I would be seeing her waste away , from laying siting down all day . her leg muscles will became so weak that she would be able to walk at all .

where I am keeping her active as in going to day center, going to toilet even thought she wears pads , walking up 10 steps of stirs to bath her . her muscles in her legs are keeping strong . keeping her mobility going to that part in her brain that control her balance ( begins with a S can't sell it ) is taken over completely , with the disease & she won't be able to walk at all

 

[Gill W]

We're in a bit of a sticky situation with that, Margarita.

Gran seems to stoop an awful lot, even when we venture outside. We can tell her to try to stand up straight, she'll say "yeah, ok love, I can walk." and remain in the position she's in.

We've tried getting her out for a walk, but just the other week she came a cropper in the hall by the time we got back. She'd started flagging on the short walk back from the dentist and keeled over when we got her in the door. Mum beat herself up for days afterwards because she gave her head a canny old crack on the doorframe as she went down. Gran did used to attend a day centre courtesy of Age Concern, but there are times now when she's forgotten to get ready to go and the bus won't wait for her. I personally feel she doesn't get any benefit from it now, now that things have progressed so far.

We've had mention of a wheelchair for Gran to be able to get her out a bit, but I wouldn't like to be the one in the firing line at the time she's put in it to go out! I can just imagine what she'll say!

I've adopted a little saying with her, "look me in the eye and talk to me, Gran, I like to see your smile!" and she straightens up for me. She always smiles at me when I say it, and one day I can see her telling me to naff off, but for now it works!! Lol.

Gill
xx