Sleeping a lot

[clsea1]

Hi my mum has Alzheimers and Vascular Dementia, she was diagnosed in 2013.
She has 3 carers a day , me and my husband moved in with her two weeks ago. She sleeps all day long the carer will wake her to wash and have breakfast and then she will go back to bed straight after, the same happens lunch time and evening,even if we are there or we have company. She doesn't communicate much, doesn't watch tv just looks into space. Her appetite is very poor and has lost a lot of weight.
Last night she came downstairs at 11.30pm had a cup of tea then went back to bed. When she does get up she sometimes says she feels dizzy and still looks very tired ( her blood pressure is fine).
Do you think she is giving up or just reaching the latter stage of the disease?

 

[Grannie G]

Hello @clsea1

My husband also gradually increased the time he spent sleeping. I used to be thankful because at least when he was sleeping he was not troubled.

If your mum was diagnosed five years ago and you have noticed changes in addition to an increase in the time she spends sleeping it does look as if her dementia is progressing. I think the progression of the dementia and the gradual switching off go hand in hand.

How long this stage will last and whether or not it`s progression or loss of interest can`t really be identified because everyone is so different.

It`s a constant worry for you I know, especially when there are no answers.

 

[karaokePete]

Whilst it could be either of the things you mention in your last line it could also be things like an infection, a reaction to medication or apathy and depression(which are common with dementia). I think that a chat with her GP may be of value.

Of course, as the brain pathology increases, as it will, the person will sleep as the brain needs to conserve its powers for just staying alive. The confusion of conscious living becomes too taxing. My wife would sleep 24hrs a day if I didn't keep her active. Like Grannie G, I am thankful for the sleeping as it keeps my wife settled and lets me get on with things.

 

[marionq]

Likewise. My Husband sleeps for about 16 hours a day. Going to a daycentre kept him alert but even there he now likes to sit quietly with a newspaper or magazine. It’s the progression of the illness I’m afraid.

 

[clsea1]

Thank you all like you have said at least she is peaceful and not in any pain is she is sleeping . Did mention it at the memory clinic last month but they said she needs to do activities play cards, bingo etc which would be impossible now x This was said
before he spoke to her properly and realised how bad her memory was!