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Walks hunched over

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Cat K
Cat K Member Posts: 30
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in Caring For a Spouse or Partner

DH walks hunched over and walks very slowly. He's basically looking down all the time. He walks with his head/neck bent downward but he also sits that way all the time. When I ask him to lift his head up when I shave him, he will lift it just a little but then drops it back downward. Best I can tell is he's in stage 6, is still at home. Is this caused by the dementia? Has anyone else experienced this?

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  • Jgirl57
    Jgirl57 Member Posts: 657
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    I think it is part of the dementia. My DH/alz does the same. I had read in this forum a while ago that persons with dementia begin to no longer look up. I now place items I don’t want him to see on top shelves.

  • RetiredTeacher
    RetiredTeacher Member Posts: 139
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    My husband is very hunched over when he stands or walks/shuffles. He's very slow moving now and freezes when he encounters unfamiliar or unexpected obstacles. My DH also has difficulty standing unaided. Almost like postural instabity.

  • Cat K
    Cat K Member Posts: 30
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    Thank you Jgirl57 and RetiredTeacher for sharing. I suspected it was related to his dementia but didn't know for certain. Even while watching TV, he hangs his head down. It's hard for me to tell if he's asleep or awake. Does this start in a certain stage?

  • SDianeL
    SDianeL Member Posts: 1,751
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    Found this online: it appears in later stages of dementia as motor controls diminish. Also can be caused by:

    • Visual Perceptual Changes:Dementia can affect how the brain processes visual information, making it challenging to interpret what's seen, including judging distances and recognizing objects. This can lead to a person looking down to avoid visual stimuli or because they are having difficulty navigating their environment. 
    • Spatial Disorientation:Damage to the parietal lobes in the brain can impair spatial awareness, causing a person to lose their sense of direction and position in space, which may result in looking down to try and understand their surroundings. 
    • Fatigue and Discomfort:In later stages of dementia, physical changes can lead to increased fatigue and discomfort. Looking down might be a way for the person to conserve energy or to avoid the physical effort of holding their head up. 

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
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