My 82 year old mom with mild dementia fell and broke her hip. Hip surgery was done successfully and after anesthesia wore off she was doing good. Mom was moved to a rehab hospital and in the beginning was doing good with physical therapy. She was very tired but doing well. A week later, mom started sleeping all day, losing interest in food and refused to participate in physical therapy. We started noticing that she wasn't really sleeping, she just wouldn't keep her eyes open and wouldn't feed herself. In our opinion mom was playing "possum". If family was with her in PT, we would have to nudge and prod and fight her to keep eyes open and participate. In mid action she would close eyes and pretend to be asleep.
Prior to the fall, mom could walk on her own, feed herself, dress herself, go to the bathroom, watch tv, go out to eat. She didn't cook, or drive, and we didn't leave her alone. Her overall health was pretty good. Mom had quadrupple bypass 15 years ago, and had been diagnosed with aortic stenosis about 5 years ago. Although she had slowed down over the last couple years, mom still was able to join my dad and brother in a deer hunting trip in the Sierras and go boating on the lake!
According to the Dr, mom is fine and he continues to blame it on the dementia. Supposedly basic labs are good :no anemia, infections, or issues going on. The only meds she gets are those for blood pressure, cholesterol, hypothyroid, blood thinner-for hip surgery, and vitamins. She does have allergies so they were giving her Claritin. No pain meds or tranquilizers.
We have to force her to keep eyes open and spoon feed her. Cognitively she seems ok. Mom does have some trouble with following directions, but if shown how to do things she does just fine. She will tell you if she has to go to the bathroom, but doesn't know to call for the nurse. Mom can walk (with assistance) and does it well when she wants to. Although she doesn't remember the fall, or that she broke her hip, she does know that she is in the hospital and can even tell you the name of it.
We requested the Claritin be stopped in hopes of that being the reason for the grogginess. It was worth a try. So far it hasn't made much difference. There are brief times of normalcy. Mom will laugh, talk, be engaged in the conversation, take a few bites if we tell her to, but then the sleepiness will start. The minute we see her hand go to her head and eyes close we know she isn't going to participate anymore.
Clearly she isn't ready to come home, but we would love to have her there. We are at a loss of what to do. Hospital Dr and staff are disinterested in helping and offer no suggestions. Mom is moving out of the hospital today and in to a skilled nursing facility.
Can you offer any suggestions to what is going on with mom? What can we do to bring her out of this sleepiness?? Is it increased dementia? Failure to thrive? A health issue we aren't aware of? Sleeping disorder?
Thank you for your assistance!
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On the other side of the coin, narcotic pain meds and some psychotropic drugs cause drosiness.
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I've often wondered if being in the strange environment of the rehab facility (at a nursing home) actually led to or contributed to her death. If she had been home, would she have improved, regained her strength, kept her "get up and go" attitude, and regained her familiar routine?
From your last post, I think you and your family are doing the right thing...a marvelous job in keeping your mother active and engaged. Hopefully she'll continue to improve and can go home soon. As the longer she's away from her home I think it can take a toll. Your family's schedule can get tiring too. I would also keep an eye on her eating and receiving nourishment. Seniors can get weak easily and suddenly and do not rebound well in later life.
I wish you and your family the best. I pray that your mother will continue her progress.
She likes to be home where its her usual routine. It is like she can protest and get results if she shuts you out by not being responsive. I ended up putting her on hospice so that the doctor would allow me to bring her home. The doctor was not in favor of her going home, he wanted to put her in a skilled nursing facility. I felt that once she came home she would do better. After a few days at home she was back to her usual self. I take her to physical therapy and work getting her strength back. She now gets around pretty good with a walker. Good luck andGod Bless.
I doubt very much that your mother is "pretending" to be asleep. She is more likely in a state she can't control. I have seen my husband like that.
I don't know what is behind your mother's decline, but I know that it is extremely common for persons with dementia to decline with hospitalizations. I don't know if it is the physical trauma that sent them to the hospital, or anesthesia/drugs, or the "unnatural" environment, or some of each that causes this. My husband has been in the hospital 3 times since he developed dementia almost 9 years ago. Each time he became far worse than he had been immediately before his illness. In his case, he did eventually return to baseline. Don't give up hope. It is possible that your mother will improve to the level she was at pre-surgery. Once she is in SNF, I suggest finding a dementia doctor, if she doesn't already have one. It is true that there is no cure for dementia, but there are treatments that can improve quality of life.They don't work for everyone, but in my opinion it is worth trying.
Hugs and best wishes to your entire family. This is very hard on everyone!