My dbl is 82 years old and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the beginning of 2018. He has been doing really well but lately he has been sleeping a great deal. He complains that he is cold although we have the central heating going full blast all day and he has blankets and hot water bottles. He has lost interest in most things sadly as he can’t read or watch television because of macular degeneration and cataracts; he can no longer do the practical things which he used to be so good at. Conversation is difficult and I find myself saying yes, no and maybe because he is talking nonsense. It is increasingly hard to find anything for him to do so he ends up going to bed. He is not interested in going to a day centre and I am with him 24/7 apart from one afternoon a week. It can’t be doing him any good spending so much time in bed sleeping and it doesn’t make the nights any easier. I am constantly feeling guilty for not being able to provide the stimulation he needs to stave off the boredom. I take him out on short journeys in the car; he likes going to the pub once or twice a week and he enjoys visits from friends and his children who pop in occasionally but between times it is difficult. the cold weather hasn’t helped as we haven’t been able to go out for little walks. Any advice would be welcome.
Too much sleeping?
- Thread starter Gillys
- Start date
Hi @Gillys and welcome to Talking Point
I think it is quite normal for people with dementia sleep more and more as their dementia advances. My OH goes to bed at about 7.30pm, I wake him just after 8.00am and he usually naps in the afternoons. My mum with Alzheimers used to do very much the same.
I think that as you are taking him out for little trips during the week, he is probably getting s much stimulation as he needs. As the dementia advances people cant cope with as much stimulation as they previously could and can get overloaded.
I think it is quite normal for people with dementia sleep more and more as their dementia advances. My OH goes to bed at about 7.30pm, I wake him just after 8.00am and he usually naps in the afternoons. My mum with Alzheimers used to do very much the same.
I think that as you are taking him out for little trips during the week, he is probably getting s much stimulation as he needs. As the dementia advances people cant cope with as much stimulation as they previously could and can get overloaded.
My mother too has lost interest in most things. She mostly naps in front of the TV and suggestions/prompting to do activities such as reading, crosswords, etc. get mostly ignored.
If he sleeps a lot I would suggest to get an air pressure mattress to prevent any bedsores. You can find them also on Amazon, reasonably priced.
