I care for my 90 year old Mom and I am concerned about how much she sleeps. Any advice?

She is incontinent and needs a walker. Does she have other impairments? Does she have pain from arthritis, difficulty swallowing, breathing issues, congestive heart failure, etc.? Does she have cognitive/memory problems?

How long has she been living with you? Has the amount of time she sleeps been increasing? You are working and obviously can't be with her every moment. Might she like a companion to visit it her a few hours a day, to play cards or look at photo albums, or push her around the neighborhood in a wheelchair? Have you tried anything like that?

I am sorry for so many questions, but the more we understand the situation the better able we are to compare it to our own experiences and determine if we have something to share with you that might help.

It would be good, too, if you would fill out your profile a little, for the same reason.

I think it's normal for most 90 year olds to sleep a lot during the day, especially if they are bored. I've seen 90 year olds perk up if there is something interesting to their generation on TV, or if you engage them in some type of activity. But soon as such stimuli is gone they doze off again. Sort of like a screen saver on a computer:)

How long has she been sleeping this much? She ain't gonna be here forever, so this may be the beginning of the end. Or she may sleep through another 5 years!

God bless you both.

It may be time for Hospice, but that would be ordered by her MD. Give him a call have him order some bloodwork and send in a visiting nurse.

If your mom sleeps a lot during the day that could interfere with her sleeping at night. Or she could be restless during the night and be sleepy the next day as a result. I work in home healthcare nursing and I've seen patients who sleep very little and I've had patients who sleep a lot. If you're trying to get her on a regular sleep schedule limit her daytime naps if you can and see if that helps her sleep better at night. If she is restless at night is she roaming around by herself? That would put her in danger of falling.

But to answer your question, "Is this normal for a 90 year old?" I'd have to say it may be normal for her.