Nightime agitation

[Blondebomber]

I am still trying to navigate my way around the forum. Sometimes just feel too frazzled to cope with anything. Both of my parents have dementia and are in their 90s. My Dad recently came out of hospital following on from a fall, he developed a chest infection in hospital which, at the time increased his dementia. He has been home now for 3 nights but is now so agitated at night that he is up searching around his room and upset that he is on a train and it isn't stopping. Tonight he is in a plane and wants to jump out. He is angry with me and I know that we are in for yet another roller -coaster night. I discussed with the Community Matron about some sort of mild sedation but the Medics don't seem too keep, said it could lead on to more falls etc. fortunately Mum in the next room sleep through the lot, mercifully..any advice?

 

[susy]

Sounds like he could be sun downing. There are medications out there that should help. I would wait til others on here come on and let you know what works for their relatives cos my family is not yet at this stage. I don't think sedation is the answer, it often leads to falls and more confusion.

I'm sure someone else will answer soon with some great advice x

 

[susy]

The other thing to check is does he have a UTI? Or another chest infection? A mild infection can cause massive changes in behaviour.

 

[Blondebomber]

The other thing to check is does he have a UTI? Or another chest infection? A mild infection can cause massive changes in behaviour.

I don't think that he has another infection, as predicted he has already been out of bed and he is very upset, worried about Mum and me leaving him .....I try to reasure him and put him back to bed....it is so sad

 

[chick1962]

I am still trying to navigate my way around the forum. Sometimes just feel too frazzled to cope with anything. Both of my parents have dementia and are in their 90s. My Dad recently came out of hospital following on from a fall, he developed a chest infection in hospital which, at the time increased his dementia. He has been home now for 3 nights but is now so agitated at night that he is up searching around his room and upset that he is on a train and it isn't stopping. Tonight he is in a plane and wants to jump out. He is angry with me and I know that we are in for yet another roller -coaster night. I discussed with the Community Matron about some sort of mild sedation but the Medics don't seem too keep, said it could lead on to more falls etc. fortunately Mum in the next room sleep through the lot, mercifully..any advice?

Hello and welcome it could be a bit of sundowning. I have that with my husband a lot . In the evenings he gets more confused from having to concentrate and digest information all day . My husband calls it the fog coming in and nothing works anymore . There is medication to calm things down but our GP like yours is reluctant to prescribe anything .. I try to distract and re assure but it does not always work. Sorry I can't offer any other advise but hopefully someone will be along with a suggestion


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[marionq]

This was our problem too but our GP and our Memory clinic consultant took the view that the household must have sleep. Husband takes Zopiclone at night together with Trazodone. He sleeps well. His agitation is now during the day despite Trazodone at lunch and dinner time. His wandering is now out of hand and but for the goodwill and helpfulness of people in this city God knows what would have happened to him.

I take him out daily and often in the evenings too but he has a compulsion to be on the move. Yesterday he went out shortly after lunch and was gone for four and a half hours. Put on a bus back home by a lady who saw he was confused and phoned me on his mobile, gave a note to the driver where to put him off, driver phoned me to let me know he was almost home. What good people.

 

[wilf]

Well blondebomber you have my heartfelt sympathy. I have exactly same problem with Mum who is 92. Zopiclone sleeping tablets is the first thing to try but didnt work for my Mum. G.P.'s are wary of prescribing sedatives due to increase in fall risk but most people in their 90's are dodgy on their legs anyway. I have an alarmed pressure pad/mat next to Mums bed so every time she gets out of bed the handset in my room goes off and I run in to make safe. My Mum takes 1/2 of 1mg Lorazepam which at first was taken as and when required but as the dementia has advanced she now takes every night. If your Dads dementia is no worse than mid stage it should help. Regular use of Lorazepam can lead to a hangover effect the next day but I counteract this with givung Mum Sertraline, an antidepressant, at lunchtime. Having said all that my chances of getting some sleep at night are increased by keeping Mum downstairs until she is shattered, around midnight, then take her to bed telling her its raining, cold and windy outside. Hope that helps and if any comfort when you are pulling your hair out in the middle of the night, there are many others of us doing the same. I also often get re assurance by logging onto talking point in the middle of the night. Good luck and keep smiling.

 

[Blondebomber]

Well blondebomber you have my heartfelt sympathy. I have exactly same problem with Mum who is 92. Zopiclone sleeping tablets is the first thing to try but didnt work for my Mum. G.P.'s are wary of prescribing sedatives due to increase in fall risk but most people in their 90's are dodgy on their legs anyway. I have an alarmed pressure pad/mat next to Mums bed so every time she gets out of bed the handset in my room goes off and I run in to make safe. My Mum takes 1/2 of 1mg Lorazepam which at first was taken as and when required but as the dementia has advanced she now takes every night. If your Dads dementia is no worse than mid stage it should help. Regular use of Lorazepam can lead to a hangover effect the next day but I counteract this with givung Mum Sertraline, an antidepressant, at lunchtime. Having said all that my chances of getting some sleep at night are increased by keeping Mum downstairs until she is shattered, around midnight, then take her to bed telling her its raining, cold and windy outside. Hope that helps and if any comfort when you are pulling your hair out in the middle of the night, there are many others of us doing the same. I also often get re assurance by logging onto talking point in the middle of the night. Good luck and keep smiling.

Finding it difficult to smile tonight having already had a crazy couple of hours of Dad constantly getting out of bed.....talking twenty to the dozen. He was exhausted when he went to bed then suddenly 'fired up' ...he seems to have settled for now. I really hope that I get some sleep as my Mother who can usually sleep through a thunder storm is usually awake early, due to her Clinical Depression and from then on it is all misery until the mood passes. I try to stay in bed but she often decides that I should be up too..so it can be double trouble...hey ho !