Is this - typical, normal, to be expected ?

ripscott

My sister and I are the caregivers for our 102 yo father who has dementia. He has been on hospice since September. He can no longer walk, he is incontinent with his bowels and has a catheter for his urine, and his speech has deteriorated. We get him dressed and get him in his wheelchair everyday. The last few weeks his right leg seems to be curling up. He no longer can straighten his right leg out. In bed almost curling up in a fetal position. Today when we brought him out to the table to eat, he had his head face down on the table and would not (could not) sit up. His nose was literally on the table. There was no way to eat or drink anything like that. We had to get him back in bed and raise the head of the bed and try to straighten him with pillows so we could get him upright enough to eat and drink something. Is this curling of his body and not being able to sit in his wheelchair typical? Is this what we should expect? What's next? Are we near the end?

M1

Yes, i suspect you are near the end. You are describing muscular contractures that can happen when the upper motor neurons are damaged. These can cause increased tone in the muscles, you will likely not be able to straighten him out and i wouldn't try (could cause pain or even fractures if you tried to force it). Probably time to let him stay in bed.