My mum constantly repeats letters over and over. She is able to have a conversation between, but as soon as the conversation stops she starts repeating letters over and over again. Sometimes it’s sentences but mostly just letters. Each day she seems to have a selection of 4-5 letters which she repeats over and over. She doesn’t seem aware that she is doing this, on the odd occasion I’ve mentioned it and she either doesn’t know what I’m talking about or says something like ‘I must be trying to sort my mind out’. I don’t think she really knows what she is doing. Should I make her aware when it happened or just let her carry on?
Repetitive speaking
- Thread starter clare77
- Start date
Repetitive actions are quite common in dementia and I suspect that this is what it is.
Im sure it must be very annoying, but making her aware of it is unlikely to change anything,
Im sure it must be very annoying, but making her aware of it is unlikely to change anything,
My Mum has moved on to the phase of constant (and I really do mean constant - hour after hour after hour.....) talking. Sometimes, for variety, we get some French / Franglais or a bit of singing. Quite frankly, it drives me up the wall, but NOTHING will stop it. It has almost become a sort of mania, and I'm not sure that she is aware that she is doing it.
All I can hope is that all things will pass.
No solutions, I'm afraid.
All I can hope is that all things will pass.
No solutions, I'm afraid.
My mum constantly says, "what am I gonna do" over and over, which often reverts to "gonna do, gonna do" then "do do, do do" drives me mad. I say shh mum while watching TV, she says she neversaid anything, lol. She even sings "gonna do" along with songs.
Reminds me of " hold the door, hold the door, hodor, hodor" Game of Thrones fans will know what I mean lol. You have to see the humour ?
Reminds me of " hold the door, hold the door, hodor, hodor" Game of Thrones fans will know what I mean lol. You have to see the humour ?
I think this is one of the things about dementia that drives carers crazy but outsiders and medics have no understanding of it! It's like that Chinese water torture.
It is incredibly hard to answer the same question when it is repeated every 5 minutes or to hear that little phrase/snatch of a song repeated over and over, ad infinitum.
Compared to some difficult dementia behaviours, this one seems really minor, but most carers will know it is not and it can really wear you down and test the patience of a saint! Mum became obsessed with weddings at one point (I blame the kind person who gave her a load of Mills and Boon...) which was weird because she actually hated them and heartily disapproved of all the expense and fuss. But she thought weddings took place at the care home on a regular basis and would regale me with stories about the guests, what they were dressed in and how all the men ended up fighting. Her fave tune became, 'Going to the chapel and we're going to get marr-a-a-ried'. Then she'd say to me, 'Are you married?' For a while it was all she would talk about - drove me bananas. Her 'other' song was, 'It's my party and I'll cry if I want to.' That degenerated into her saying it like a naughty petulant child and pulling her tongue out, adding 'So there!' at the end.
But the one that bugged me most was her every-5-minute repetition of, 'So did you have a nice Christmas?' That went on at every visit. For at least 2 years
It is incredibly hard to answer the same question when it is repeated every 5 minutes or to hear that little phrase/snatch of a song repeated over and over, ad infinitum.
Compared to some difficult dementia behaviours, this one seems really minor, but most carers will know it is not and it can really wear you down and test the patience of a saint! Mum became obsessed with weddings at one point (I blame the kind person who gave her a load of Mills and Boon...) which was weird because she actually hated them and heartily disapproved of all the expense and fuss. But she thought weddings took place at the care home on a regular basis and would regale me with stories about the guests, what they were dressed in and how all the men ended up fighting. Her fave tune became, 'Going to the chapel and we're going to get marr-a-a-ried'. Then she'd say to me, 'Are you married?' For a while it was all she would talk about - drove me bananas. Her 'other' song was, 'It's my party and I'll cry if I want to.' That degenerated into her saying it like a naughty petulant child and pulling her tongue out, adding 'So there!' at the end.
But the one that bugged me most was her every-5-minute repetition of, 'So did you have a nice Christmas?' That went on at every visit. For at least 2 years
The constant repetition does get a person down, even when you realize the PWD cannot help it and isn't even aware of it.
My mother would ask the same questions over and over and over. The words 'Where's my car?' in an extremely suspicious tone drove me around the bend. Later in her illness, when words were failing her, she would pound on her wheelchair tray simply saying da, da, da, da, endlessly.
However, there came a time when Mum no longer spoke or vocalized at all. I would have given anything to hear her voice in any way. So, as annoying as the repetition is, please remember there may well come a time when you want it back.
My mother would ask the same questions over and over and over. The words 'Where's my car?' in an extremely suspicious tone drove me around the bend. Later in her illness, when words were failing her, she would pound on her wheelchair tray simply saying da, da, da, da, endlessly.
However, there came a time when Mum no longer spoke or vocalized at all. I would have given anything to hear her voice in any way. So, as annoying as the repetition is, please remember there may well come a time when you want it back.
Yes @Canadian Joanne my dad would 'bom di bom bom bom every time he move, including picking up a cup, arranging his combs and getting out of his chair or anything that included movement. All the way to the bathroom 'Bom bom bom' all the time in there pottering about instead of having a wash and then all the way back to his chair. It seemed to be triggered by movement and it drove me nuts.
I would love to hear it now.
I would love to hear it now.
Interestingly, Mum's voice changed as soon as she developed delirium, then dementia. It became very shakey, and anxious sounding - almost a "typical old lady" voice, if there is such a thing. She has never really sounded like my Mum since. I would love to hear her "old" voice.
When the carer is with the person constantly asking questions, repeating, singing and just non-stop talking it drives you MAD!! My mother constantly interrupts other peoples conversations with something totally unconnected. She also mis-hears and talks about what she thinks she heard. She won't stop till someone answers her. It is relentless. When I say she can ask the same question at least 5 times in a minute I am not exaggerating! The next person who doesn't have to deal with this day in day out tells me to have patience I'll explode.
