My name is Sharon and my husband has vascular dementia. He sleeps a lot during the day snd night. He eats and then goes to bed afterwards. I wake him up, he gets dressed, joins me for a few minutes in the living room, and then says “ Im going to bed”. I tell him no to stay up a little longer but he doesnt. When I get busy doing things, I find him in bed again. He does enjoy going out to eat but as soon as he gets home he heads for the bedroom to get in bed. He has been seeing a Neurologist and they might try him on a different pill as the one he had been taking made him worse and wasnt helping.
Vascular dementia
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HI Sharon, thanks for sharing. It is something that comes over us in a sort of overwhelming cloud and we just want to lie down and re-charge our batteries. The dementia im certain drains us faster than before and it’s a real struggle some days. I have PPA which is similar as i also get hugely fatigued late afternoon/early evening and it’s something my wife im sure doesn’t like at all. BUT, I do start the day very early so maybe like my wife and I do perhaps just doing things a bit earlier may help? Just a thought but best of wishes and thanks again for sharing your lived experience here. Blessings, John Pops Hyde
Hi Sharon, sounds very like my husband who also has Vascular Dementia following 2 strokes and a fall. He sleeps A LOT. He gets up and has a cuppa and breakfast but then I see him nodding off. I leave him to it as at least I can pop out or get some chores done. I think there is little you can do about his sleeping, it’s his brain wanting a rest. I now realise that most social events he cannot cope with, he gets too tired, so I do those alone. I can still go out for a few hours. Can you still leave him home alone? If so, then I think meet up with family and friends whilst he is asleep or invite them over for a cuppa or a bit of lunch. I do this and Mike just falls asleep in his chair even when we’re are all chatting. He even does this when his children visit. It’s just what he does and it can’t be helped.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. If I tell my husband that he has early Dr appt, he does get up early with no problems.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. While he is sleeping, I do quick errands and he does fine. When I return I do tell him it’s time to get up and he’ll say ok and joins me in the living room to watch some tv programs but not for long and then he says “I’m going to bed.”
The doctor could advise you / him if the constant tiredness is all associated with the Vascular Dementia. Did he generally get tired easily when he was well? You could look at food supplements remedies for the 'well' which combat tiredness based on B vitamins and iron. Boots do a liquid (easily absorbed) from Salus called Floravital. The basis of this is that more iron equals improved red blood cell count so more oxygen to the tissues / brain. Obviously check with doctor before trying anything due to medication. It is worth a try, it might even help to provide you a boost in your caring role. Good luck.
Thank you. I will certainly check into it. His neurologist has him taking memantine tablets for 20 days and I have to give feedback to him then. He has an upcoming appt first week in July with his regular dr office and I will mention the floravital. He already takes Vits B, C and D.
my husband with vasc. dem. takes memantine he had to gradually increase the dose. we had good results in that he was calmer and the aggression was stopped.
i would check with the doctor any supplements you are looking to give him. they could interact with existing meds and some shouldnt be taken together.
My partner had Vascular Dementia and spent the last few years mostly on his bed. He said he was listening to the radio, not sleeping, but I think it was a mixture of both. Initially I was worried by this, and tried to get him up and following the routine he had before, but then decided that it was the way PWD cope with the way their world has become - confusing, challenging, frightening - and that bed was the place they felt safe(r) and they did not have to deal with all the things that confused them - simple things like using the remote control for the TV, or answering questions, like "What would you like for supper?". He would come down, watch a bit of TV, eat whatever I put in front of him (usually), and was always up for a biscuit or some chocolate if all else failed, then back to bed, throughout the day. I would undress him and put him to bed after evening meal - around 6.30-7.00 p.m., and fortunately he would sleep (or at least not get up other than for toilet visits) until 5.00 am., when we would both get up, get dressed, breakfast, back upstairs - repeat, repeat throughout the day.
My advice would be not to worry about it, let them be where they want if they are safe, warm and comfortable, try to keep them clean (I know THAT is a challenge for many - it was for me!), and fed as best you can. Things will change, routines will change and we just have to adapt. After all, many times I have just wanted to crawl into bed, pull the covers up and stay there, shutting out the world and all the troubles, but, as carers of course, we can't do that.
My advice would be not to worry about it, let them be where they want if they are safe, warm and comfortable, try to keep them clean (I know THAT is a challenge for many - it was for me!), and fed as best you can. Things will change, routines will change and we just have to adapt. After all, many times I have just wanted to crawl into bed, pull the covers up and stay there, shutting out the world and all the troubles, but, as carers of course, we can't do that.
