Hallucinations and wanting to go home

Jimbob59 · December 2021

I thought wanting to go home every night was difficult to deal with, but the last few nights mom is seeing babies all over the house and they mostly are not sweet little babies they are crying and fighting and somebody needs to take her or them home. This went on for 2 nights and days then she slept for a day and a halve. So far tonight only one baby and I told her they would be picking him up later. She never especially enjoyed babysitting her grand kids when they were babies and toddlers over 20 years ago, she was already showing early signs of forget fullness and lack of patients with kids. As I am typing this she asked me if I knew their was a cat in this house my answer was yes would you like something to drink so to the fridge I go.

abc123 · December 2021

Has your mom seen a geriatric psychiatrist? If her behavior truly becomes a problem you might want to consider it. There could possibly be a medication that will greatly improve her quality of life and yours too. Everyone has a different journey. There are many caregivers here whose LO's need this type of medication. Good luck to you.

Gisel · December 2021

My mom kept asking to go home I tried to tell her it was too far away or there was no other home to go to that didn't seem to do the trick but since this always happened around 5 or 6 p.m. at night I figured it was Sundowners so I would be sure to feed her lunch late around 3 and then a cookie around 5 or 6 that seemed to keep her less agitated

HJFowler · December 2021

My mom's "go home" episodes stopped when she started taking low dose Risperidone. She is on no other medications. Only Risperidone and some supplements. A geriatrician may be able to help find the right meds for your mom. I'm sorry you are going through this. It is very difficult to deal with. My mom still has some delusions but they aren't as extreme. The med seems to help with that. Now if we could just get something to stop her walking. She walks in and out of the house constantly. It seems to be related to anxiety so we've been giving her CBD for that and she still walks around a lot but she stays closer to the house now and doesn't walk off as bad as she used to. CBD has worked great for us because it seems to keep her in a more positive mood and it works quicker than anything else we have tried so far.

Hang in there.

Jimbob59 · December 2021

My moms Alzheimer's has been a long slow not nearly as bad as some peoples on this forums journey, but after 20 years she seems to be going down very fast, after several falls and scans showing no broken bones. When she sleeps I check her regularly she looks like she could just go to sleep and not wake up. I have motion detectors set up and cameras so I can get to her before she tries to get up on her own she doesn't remember the falls or the ER trips or me or her own home. I had her scheduled for SNF admit 5 months ago and backed out she may have been better off if I had took her to the home.

Jimbob59 · December 2021

Mom fell down again last night got her up bandaged a big skin tear and put her to bed. Called her PCP they said bring her in called my brother who came right over helped us out the door into the truck and went with us. Dr and one of her nurses examined her bandaged her properly and listened to my concerns. She put in order for home health care and script for seroquel 25 mg. Told me to ask the home health care company for OT and request a gait belt. She also said she would redo the paperwork for SNF admission that she did 5 months ago and I didn't follow threw with. Just let her know when I was ready. That feels like a pretty big deal, doc on the ball, one brother went with us the other brother came out and helped get her up last night.

Stuck in the middle · December 2021

Your mother is lucky to have you and your brothers to help her.

Sounds to me like you're right. It is probably in her best interest to move her to a SNF. I had to do that with my mother when she needed more help than I could give.

Sorry

Jimbob59 · December 2021

Stuck

I know you are right but it's hard to give up and place her, if it was BC and could visit her in a SNF like the good old days it would be easier. GA still has very limited visits.

Last night was moms first dose of seroquel gave it to her at 6 pm it's 5 am the next morning and she has not made a peep all night.

My brothers are more help now than they have been in the past I just have to call them they aren't the step in and volunteer type. I believe they see that their mother want be around forever and no matter what they are good guys.

They are very different one is a little afraid and intimated by moms condition but is a great companion and sounding board we have been talking on the phone every morning and he keeps us supplied since we have been mostly home bound the last few weeks. The other brother who lives next door has seen some stuff in his life time nothing seems to bother him, he doesn't have much to say but he will jump in and go hands on when asked.

abc123 · December 2021

Dear JimBob, I'm sorry about her recent fall. Having a gait belt has been a huge help to me and my dad. Mom sort of slides out the bed and puddles on the floor. It is impossible to pick her up without the gaitbelt.

I'm glad your brothers will help you!

FTDCaregiver · December 2021

Hi, My wife usually starts in with the "I want to go home" talk around mid-afternoon, but these, to me, just seem a symptom of her anxiety as it increases throughout the day until her nightly medication. My doctor prescribed an afternoon serequel dose to address her anxiety, works coupled with diversion techniques (snacks, music or dance) seems to work well. For me, not addressing the "what" she's saying rather than the "how" she is behaving works. Talking with her doctors, working up a plan to address her anxiety, as her primary condition, was our approach. Good luck and remember, you're not alone!

Gisel · December 2021

Mom was getting out of bed on her own in the middle of the night and would fall. When the doctors finally did a CT scan, they found evidence of multiple small Strokes . I think we all agree that falls at this stage are certainly not good and can worsen the condition . When a particular fall landed her in ER with a broken nose so not only did we start tucking her in but we also bought some of those child bed guards to keep her from getting out of bed. She hasn't fallen out of bed since. Not particularly sure I want to get a hospital bed as yet oh, it would help me get her out of bed but I don't believe the mattresses have the same support.

Jimbob59 · December 2021

How long should it take to here from Home health care company, heard nothing thur or frid now it's Sunday and next week is Christmas. Mom eating almost nothing drinking small amounts of ensure and gatorade. The doctor sent in a script for UTI and the capsules are so big, she has been managing to swallow them with a lot of coaxing and ensure because it's thick. This morning it mostly dissolved in her mouth and she has just about forgot how to suck on the straw to drink. She is crying out in her sleep for her mama.

Gisel · December 2021

In our case, perhaps because mom had been in the ER twice in less than two months, we heard from home health within 72 hours. Be sure to tell them of any weight loss, waking in the night, falls, refusing food, digestive issues with fatty, fried, or acidic foods, etc. I cut out all alcohol, grapes, mayonnaise, avocado, ice cream, cakes, chocolate, salads, spinach, etc. It was trial and error for almost two years. Now it's just a simple, bland diet. All soft foods, no exceptions. As far as swallowing problems are concerned, you might try making a puree or soup of her food, I mix a half cup of broth to a cup of cooked rice and 6 small chicken tenderloins simmered in broth for 35 min, all in the blender. You can add a carrot or two for flavor, maybe some Italian seasoning At this point she's not holding a spoon steadily so I feed her, waiting to hear her swallow each spoonful before giving her another. For the anxiety try a fruit snack like Apple or banana. Good luck, keep at the home health requests, they'll want to come and assess her, and her surroundings. Once they're on board, they'll set up a schedule to see her, once a week for vital signs, once a month for a full physical checkup, maybe twice a week for a shower aid.

Jimbob59 · December 2021

The last week has been a blur, long nights and days. Trips. to ER s and MD s long story short mom is now on hospice not expected to make it till Christmas the long slow ride till the end is now a run away train the end of the line is in site. I feel sad but I am relieved that the end is near.

Gisel · December 2021

Make every day count! She might surprise you, and having hospice will relieve you of a lot of worry. My back is doing better from not having to do it all. I've seen mom more animated with the hospice visitors, so I'm glad she's getting the additional social support. In some ways, knowing how much she's lost, the ability to walk on her own, drive, read, watch and understand movies, etc, convinces me that the end, whenever it happens, will be a blessing to her.