Uti and dementia

Evie5831

Registered User
Nov 7, 2015
180
0
Hi,
I know that UTIs are a part of dementia although I don't know why but does anyone else find that they are linked to some form of shock or trauma?
My dad is very unsteady when walking so frequently stumbles. On Wednesay evening he took a tumble and ended up on the floor. Two days later he has a UTI and a chest infection ( he has COPD so this could occur at any time). This seems to be becoming a pattern with him. after every tumble of fall, no matter how small he becomes totally disorientated, loses most of his retained memories and becomes so weak he can't stand.
Is this normal? The care home staff just tell me not to worry but I feel that I need the control of knowing if this is "par for the course" or something I should be investigating further for his sake.
 

Cat27

Registered User
Feb 27, 2015
13,057
0
Merseyside
A fall is a big shock to the system.
As you know frequent chest infections are very common with COPD but I'm not sure about the UTIs.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
I have been told that as dementia progresses the part of the brain that "recognises" and responds to infections gets damaged so the immune system doesnt work properly and they are most susceptible to infections.

Its certainly true that mum has been having more UTIs as her dementia progresses.
 

cat6214

Registered User
Jan 2, 2016
10
0
Central New Jersey
Dad's dementia and UTI's

My dad has a urinary catheter. He was on a 4-week replacement schedule. We noticed that often after 3 weeks he would get a UTI, which resulted in his getting agitated and pulling the catheter out. Then I would have to call the visiting nurses in the middle of the night to install a new catheter. We are now starting a 3-week replacement schedule for Dad's urine catheter. Hopefully that will stop the UTIs and the dementia related agitation.
 

Linbrusco

Registered User
Mar 4, 2013
1,694
0
Auckland...... New Zealand
My Mum has moderate Alzheimers, and although she has only had one major fall 3 yrs ago she can be unsteady on her feet.
Mum has just been on anti biotics for a UTI, and because of her unsteadiness and confusion already, the early symptoms were hard to spot. She had no other physical symptoms or frequent urination.

At first we thought it might just be a progression of her Alzheimers.
It wasn't until I could visibly see that she was not well and running a temp that I took her to the doctor.
If she had been left one more day, it could have progressed quite significantly and she might have had a fall.

I compare this to 4 yrs ago when my Dad developed a urinary infection, where almost instantly he was urinating a lot, and a temperature developed quickly.
He had only had a few doses of anti biotics when his temp shot up to 39d and he was delirious. We had to call an ambulance and he was hospitalised for 2 days.