Hi there. I am new to this forum, so thanks in advance for reading this.
My 75 yr old Mum was diagnosed about 9 years ago. My 84 year old Dad is her full time sole carer, but my sisters and i do what we can to help give him a break. She is in general good health, but is starting to lose some mobililty (shuffles, falls a lot), can no longer communicate effectively as she only speaks nonsense (except in a very highly agitated state when she can sometimes be quite clear). She has all the usual mood swings, agitation, hallucinations etc. All of this my Dad can cope with during the day time because until recently she slept well at night.
However, over the last couple of months, she has just stopped sleeping. It started where she would go to bed, then get out several times and then eventually about midnight would fall to sleep and sleep right through to about 9am. But now, she goes to bed and either constantly tries to get out of bed and falls over, or she talks incessantly (all garbled) all night. This can go on from about 7pm to 7am with not a wink of sleep.
The GP prescribed Zopiclone 7.5mg a couple of weeks ago but if anything they have made the situation worse, as she is falling a lot more when she gets out of bed, or just falls out of bed. The talking has got worse. She must be so exhausted but we can't understand why she just won't sleep. She doesn't even have a nap in the day time.
My dad is really struggling to cope with this, but really wants to keep her at home for as long as possible.
The GP has said there is nothing else at all he can do to help, he can't prescribe anything further.
We are considering night time care at home, or respite, or even full time nursing home, but my Dad is concerned how a night-time carer would deal with it, because if she can't be any further sedated, how will they deal with her constant wandering and chattering.
I am most grateful for any suggestions, or to hear of any similar experiences and how you coped with it.
I think the honest truth is that it is now beyond all of us, my Dad has been simply amazing through all of this, but he cannot cope with the sleep deprivation and we don't want him too. We want him to try and have some semblance of a life.
Thanks very much
My 75 yr old Mum was diagnosed about 9 years ago. My 84 year old Dad is her full time sole carer, but my sisters and i do what we can to help give him a break. She is in general good health, but is starting to lose some mobililty (shuffles, falls a lot), can no longer communicate effectively as she only speaks nonsense (except in a very highly agitated state when she can sometimes be quite clear). She has all the usual mood swings, agitation, hallucinations etc. All of this my Dad can cope with during the day time because until recently she slept well at night.
However, over the last couple of months, she has just stopped sleeping. It started where she would go to bed, then get out several times and then eventually about midnight would fall to sleep and sleep right through to about 9am. But now, she goes to bed and either constantly tries to get out of bed and falls over, or she talks incessantly (all garbled) all night. This can go on from about 7pm to 7am with not a wink of sleep.
The GP prescribed Zopiclone 7.5mg a couple of weeks ago but if anything they have made the situation worse, as she is falling a lot more when she gets out of bed, or just falls out of bed. The talking has got worse. She must be so exhausted but we can't understand why she just won't sleep. She doesn't even have a nap in the day time.
My dad is really struggling to cope with this, but really wants to keep her at home for as long as possible.
The GP has said there is nothing else at all he can do to help, he can't prescribe anything further.
We are considering night time care at home, or respite, or even full time nursing home, but my Dad is concerned how a night-time carer would deal with it, because if she can't be any further sedated, how will they deal with her constant wandering and chattering.
I am most grateful for any suggestions, or to hear of any similar experiences and how you coped with it.
I think the honest truth is that it is now beyond all of us, my Dad has been simply amazing through all of this, but he cannot cope with the sleep deprivation and we don't want him too. We want him to try and have some semblance of a life.
Thanks very much