Verbal aggression, hallucinating, agitation...

[Linbrusco]

Mum was doing really well in her Care Home now 9 mnths, until a UTI 5 weeks ago.
Despite antibiotics, and a blood test and repeat tests to make sure her infection has cleared her behavior continues.... although it is very up and down, with no 2 days a like.
She can have a relatively good morning and snap, just like that, or can have a bad morning, and come right by lunchtime.... not to her previous UTI self though.

She is spending majority of her time apart from meals in her room, and absolutely trashing it in the process. She seldom now joins in the activities, saying they are rubbish, and the staff are mean , and so it goes on.
She refuses to shower and dress one day, but is quite cooperative the next.

So now she is havng a repeat UTI test, and a whole raft of blood tests to see if there is anything else underlying to cause delirium.
Because if its not delirium, then shes had a massive downward step in her dementia

The Care Home uses drugs as a very last resort for managing behaviours, but in anyone elses opinion what would normally be prescribed in this situation?
I also feel that she needs a really good sleep. She looks awful. Could she be sleep deprived? Mum hasnt slept through the day for a very long time, and who knows if half the time she is just lying in bed at night awake?
I know as far as dehydration, they are really on top of it, as she has not been eating and drinking the same, therfore losing weight.

What a worry

 

[Anneka]

I sympathise. I'm in the very same situation with my mum. She's been in hospital for 11 weeks but thankfully due to anti psychotic meds seems to be more stable. We're not sure, neither are the medics, whether this is a step in her dementia or if she developed psychosis but they said the treatment was the same. It's been the hardest thing ever I have had to deal with and for mum, the trauma she goes through during these episodes is horrific. It's all so real to her. She's still confused, but now I can kind of deal with that as we're not seeing the really extreme behaviour. I hope it stays.
But she too went without sleep, aggressive behaviour, developed paranoia so wouldn't eat or even let me touch her on occasions, wouldn't wash and thought everyone was the enemy. She's down to 7 stone now. So I feel for you.
Mum is going to a new home this Wednesday, one that can deal with this ongoing. Her previous home wouldn't take her back which was such a shock.
I do hope you and your mum get the help and support you need


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[Plisnit]

Same here. My mum had a uti and was kicking, spitting, grabbing anything nearby and throwing it. Before that, although unhappy, she was a calm and gentle woman. The gp prescribed lorazepam for a couple of weeks. Although I hated the idea of her being sedated, it did at least give her some rest as she was exhausting herself. Now the uti has gone, and we are lorazepam free, we have some calm days but still some aggression though mainly she is distressed, paranoid and frightened. She also spends much of her time alone in her room as the noise from other residents makes her more agitated. The GP told me that people with dementia can take as much as six months to recover from an infection. She also said that sometimes older people test negative for uti's even when positive. My mum had to be tested a couple of times before it showed a high rate of infection.

 

[Linbrusco]

thank you both this is all such a huge contrast to pre UTI where mum would not go anywhere her room from morning to night, and enjoyed all the activities, especially anything music related.
Now she just needs to hear or see something that she disagrees with or takes offence to and shes off to her room... even the carers laughing and she feels they are laughing at her ...
or they play music a tad loud ( a few deaf ones) its way too loud, or if the carer makes her a cup of tea by mistake instead of her milo!

 

[Meanmum]

I'd never heard of delirium as a medical thing until Dad went through all this 3 weeks ago. It seems a classic issue associated with infection (generally a UTI). The change is dramatic & immediate, and I believe can last for long after the underlying infection is controlled. So don't lose hope that you'll see some improvement yet.......

 

[Linbrusco]

I'd never heard of delirium as a medical thing until Dad went through all this 3 weeks ago. It seems a classic issue associated with infection (generally a UTI). The change is dramatic & immediate, and I believe can last for long after the underlying infection is controlled. So don't lose hope that you'll see some improvement yet.......

ooooh I do hope so. even just a little bit would be good. Mum refused the Carer to shower and dress her today too. Carer had tried several times. i thought I would give it a go... first time ever as Mum has always been very shy when it comes to seeing her in her birthday suit but after a bit of cajoling and perseverance she let me help her. Very surprised at how much shes forgotten as far as sequence of undressing, dressing, using the soap & flannel etc

 

[Linbrusco]

Just thought I would update to day, since this post Mum has improved immensely. All her latest blood tests/urine tests screening for delirium was fine, although they gave her a second dose of anti bs to be sure.... although her first dose was back in the first week of March when she did have a UTI.

Cognitively she does seem a bit more confused, and still resisting showering/dressing but not every day. She just takes a bit of cajoling.
At least she isnt confining herself to her bedroom, and is drinking & eating better.
Its been a rough 7 weeks.

 

[Spamar]

Feel for you Lin, hoping everything gets better from now on!