Sudden Worsening of Symptoms

BabciKit

Hi, my 96 year old mother just moved in with me a few weeks ago after living at my brother's home for about 20 months. We are working to find a nursing home situation for her, but in the meantime, we needed to save her money and my brother needed too much HHA care that was depleting her savings. My mother seems happy in her new home, but she has gone from having maybe a nap a day at my brother's home, to sleeping many hours day and night at mine. I have made efforts to engage her, but she most often seems very, very tired. In addition, she has been having hallucinations and delusions much more often than before, and some of them are exhibited with anger. I can handle all of this, and I understand everything I'm describing is Alzheimer's related and to be expected, but what I'm not clear about is, will these things subside once she acclimates to her new situation, or has the move triggered this progression and a new normal is being set? Also, since she is only expected to be here in transition until a nursing home placement is found -- does it become more urgent to do that BEFORE she fully acclimates to my home? My mother has always taken time to adapt (she grieving my father's death for 11 years!). Any advice would be welcomed!

SusanB-dil

Hi BabciKit - welcome to 'here'.

The move may or actually may not have triggered this new development. When MIL sleeps longer than is 'normal' for her, it seems she has had another possible TIA. However - do check on any other issue with your mom, such as a UTI, as they can wreak havoc! And let her doctor know about these developments with the extra sleep, the hallucinations and delusions, and that this is exhibiting with some anger.

It probably wouldn't hurt to place her before she acclimates, but often, it wouldn't make any difference.

MN Chickadee

I would start with a check for UTI. It is very common for them to be otherwise "silent" in PWD and only manifest in weird new behavior. See if her clinic can accommodate collecting a sample at home and make sure they culture it. If that's negative it may be she is just exhausted by the change in environment. At her age she is extremely fragile. It could be she has just suffered a decline from the disease. If she continues to sleep a lot you might find a hospice consult helpful.

BassetHoundAnn

My mom, who is 97, goes through periods in which she sleeps a lot, and also suffers delusions. Then she'll swing back around and be lucid and active for a period. I think periods of extreme fatigue are to be expected for someone at that age with Alzheimer's. She's been under the care of hospice for quite a while now.

terei

If you have not had mom assessed for Hospice, I think now is the time to do that. Delusions + aggression can many times be managed with meds.

BabciKit

Thank you SusanB-dil. This is very helpful. I have been in communication with her GP in MA - she had a yearly checkup just a few weeks ago before we moved her to NY -- but you've convinced me I need to find someone nearby to see her in person now. I had no idea TIAs were associated with Alzheimers (though she has had one), nor that they exhibited as excessive sleep. All valuable information. Thank you.

BabciKit

Wow. I would never have thought of checking for a UTI -- turns out that's what she has. SOOOO grateful to you all. Hopefully the antibiotics will clear things up and she'll return to her previous baseline. And if not, she is so loved, it's all good. Thank you!!!

Emily 123

Right? My mom's UTI 'tell' is that she gets easily frustrated and starts swearing at people under her breath.