Does waking someone with dementia suddenly contribute to the "bad days"?

I now see where I answered this back in May...the only difference now is I will usually opt to just her sleep until she wakes up, rather than start waking her up...she is usually always starting to wake up by 8 or so still, but if not, I let her sleep til she starts waking..and I spoke to her nurse about it and they said that is usually best...

My Mama is totally bedridden and has severe dementia / alz . I have found through trail and error that letting her wake on her own terms seems to be better for her..If I wake her suddenly, it seems to really send her into a tailspin....as in getting very very confused, seemingly upset. etc. I have been here caring for her now for over three years and like Joan, just keep her really clean and use a LOT of the barrier cream, especially at night, so if she is sleeping soundly I will now usually not wake her . That seems to work better, and so far, no bedsores here either...so very thankful for that. A huge fan of barrier cream here...

We struggled with this same question. My mom wanted to keep a normal as possible routine for dad which included waking, bathing, feeding, sleeping, etc. but as the years passed, we had to realize that nothing is routine about ALZ. He now has 24/7 care with mom or myself also present. It sometimes feels cruel to let him sleep when you know he is wet, but we found that waking him was horrific to him. We try to do as hope22, gently waking, but that does not always work at this stage. He has been 2 yrs or more mostly bedridden, but he does still go into the bathroom and sit so we can shower and change him. He has never had a bedsore (our worst fear of leaving him sleep in urine) but we have amazing help with caretakers who clean him and prepare him that when he had to go to hospital and NH for short time, everyone commented on how well he is taken care of at home in spite of obvious challenges. We have changed him in bed only if absolutely necessary (if BM or extremely long sleep). It is much better for everyone, including him, if he is given an extra 1/2 hr or so to gently awaken. He is very verbal (although not understandable) and we know when he is angry and feeling disturbed. We try to get him up to sit in a chair during the day though he usually sleeps most of the time now. He does not sleep through a changing and is most comfortable when he is out of bed.

I do eventually have to wake Mama up but try to do it gently rather than sudden and active motion, which seems to really confuse her....i.e. her normal wake up time is around 8:00 or 8:30. I begin touching her and speaking softly if she is not awake, then come back in about five mintues, and so on....if I just start moving her suddenly though, it seems to really mess her up...and I have to admit it does me as well...lol....Mama is totally bedfast, has no trouble sleeping through the night thus far, just seems like the way in which she wakes up sets the tone for the whole day. thanks yall

I wake my 87 year old everyday without it she would never leave the bed...
benadryl has also bee used as a sleeping aid by heart patients...

Ativan seem to make my mom WORSE , So be CAREFUL ! Everyone is different

You can ask the MD to prescribe Ativan a half hour before the bath. Bathing and Dental work or OBGYN visits are best preceded by an anxiolytic medication. In a pinch, bendadryl has been used to take the edge off.