Covid with Dementia

LH820

Hi all,

This is my first post here, but in recent weeks I have gained so much valuable insight from reading your posts. My mother is 85 years old and has vascular dementia. She is completely immobile, and her food intake is at about 25 percent. Her liquid intake has declined to about 3 cups a day. She spends most of her time sleeping, but she does frequently yell out with physical aches and pains. She has a stage 4 pressure sore on her coccyx and two skin tears. We recently had to move her to long-term care because there was a shortage of in-home caregivers, and we just couldn't provide the care she needed.

On Friday, the facility let us know that mom tested positive for Covid. She had been vaccinated this summer. I have been in touch with her facility nurse and hospice nurse daily since the diagnosis. Her Covid symptoms have been mild to nonexistent with the exception of extreme fatigue and disinterest in food and drink (which were already going on before the Covid). Today the nurse called to tell me mom has been in extreme pain. She said a simple touch to the arm will make her yell out in pain. They have been giving her morphine and methadone. When the nurse called today, she stated that she had promised me she would call anytime she noticed a significant change in her. Reading between the lines, I deduced that the nurse is saying it is bad. 

Has anyone else on here had an experience with a loved one with dementia being diagnosed with Covid? I am particularly curious about Covid-vaccinated patients with dementia testing positive for Covid. Because the vaccine is so new, I can't find much information out there regarding this topic. If you all have any insights into what this experience might be like for someone in her condition, I would be grateful if you would share. Thank you all.

loveskitties

To the best of my knowledge, the vaccine is appropriate for anyone in a health care facility...in fact most require it.

None of the 3 vaccines in the USA has ever said it will prevent the virus 100%, only that they will likely keep it from being severe enough to be hospitalized.

I have not seen any information which indicates that it is harmful, on its face, to dementia patients.  I have not heard of the pain you describe being a symptom of Covid. 

It sounds as if your mother has other pre-existing conditions.

I hope that the facility will be able to get her pain under control.

harshedbuzz

A couple of posters here have been through COVID with a PWD; you might try searching for the topic.

Lickety Glitz wrote about her dear mom's COVID experience on her blog. This was prior to the vaccines.

mommyandme (m&m)

If hospice isn’t on board yet, I’d contact them. 

I hope for better days soon for you and your LO.