Will CPAP Really Help?

SoCo Kirsten · October 22

Hello friends,

Dad is 79yo, had a CPAP maybe 20 years ago. Neuro thinks new CPAP is going to be a game changer/golden ticket bc of his brain scan and assessments. His sleep study showed low/moderate apnea. He's in a care home, not MC, so staff will check on him but they don't do intensive ADL's- I'd have to get home care in. Stage: moving into mid level dementia, I think.

He's not resistant, per se, he just…doesn't wear it. But says he is open to it. Trying a different mask next week. Overwhelmed by instructions so I said just wear, I'll clean and change filters, etc. He's a lifelong procrastinator so I can't always tell what is his personality and what is the disease.

He is also getting back in the habit of brushing teeth and cleaning dentures (with my hounding) and it seems like he's only realistically going to do that or the CPAP. We're 1 month into 4 month insurance compliance period, he's used it once.

Thoughts?

Quilting brings calm · October 22

It’s going to be a moot point. Insurance won’t cover it unless he uses it at least 5 hours a night. It’s not worth arguing about.

SoCo Kirsten · October 23

Thank you. And my mom's a quilter too.

SDianeL · October 23

sadly you’re probably not going to get him to wear it. Many PWDs even stop wearing glasses and dentures in later stages. They can even forget to use a walker. I don’t think it’s worth it.

H1235 · October 23

Mom used a cpap for many years. The machine broke and she started having symptoms of dementia. By the time I figured out what was going on she had not used her cpap in several years. When I got her diagnosed with dementia and started getting things back in order, I got her a new cpap machine. She started using the machine again with no problems. All the cleaning was done for her. There is no way she could remember a cleaning schedule. I did see some improvements, but I made so many changes in the first year after her diagnosis, it’s hard to say what caused the improvement. Her medication changed, she moved into a more controlled environment and many other things. I also got her hearing aids around this time. She had never had hearing aids before. She has not been able to figure out how to use them and they have been used very little. With all that, my thought is, if he is not remembering or understanding how to use the cpap it’s probably just not going to happen. I would find it hard to believe that a cpap is going to be a game changer.

Andrew Hoyza · October 23

I can't imagine getting anyone with even mild dementia to use a CPAP. Heck, I dunno if you could get me to use one!

Will CPAP Really Help?

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