Calming meds for mom since recent transfer to Board & Care y care

heatherjazz

We just transferred my mom from a really good, 80 person memory care to a 6 resident Board & Care for both for financial reasons (it was very expensive) and because we thought she'd get better one on one. She's 95 and has moderate vascular dementia, no short term memory, recognizes her loved ones, can hold an ok conversation one on one, and is mobile with a walker. I'm wondering if anyone has had good results with Trazodone or Namenda to help stabilize sleep habits? It's been barely a week but in a small home care situation, it is can be disruptive for the other residents a bit. She keeps trying to open the front door. The caregiver/owner keeps reassuring me it will be ok but suggested the meds which her doctor also is considering. Her sleep disruption and subsequent lack of sleep is exacerbating her behavior right now. Trying to put familiar items in this room but she doesn't have much. Any thoughts are greatly welcome. Note that her first transition to the big memory care facility took 6 months before she settled in but it feels perceptively less fraught this time (except for her sleep habits) so there's that.

M1

I would just comment that although it is used commonly, trazodone can have a lot of anticholinergic side effects--dry mouth, constipation. All of which could be very problematic in a 95 year old. I have never heard of namenda being used for sleep particularly, but it can also have GI side effects. Ironically although it sounds more ominous because it's classified as an atypical antipsychotic, I would personally wonder if a tiny (i.e. 12.5 mg) dose of Seroquel at bedtime might do the trick.

solerdr

Seroquel also has really BAD side effects.

There are natural sleep aids: chamomile tea, valerian tea, valerian extract itself, sleepy time extra extra sleep tea, melatonin. Your mom's doctor would have to prescribe these and get them on the meds list at the facility.

Good luck!

May God's light guide your day and His light fill your heart with peace.

Damion