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Candromeda Asked February 26, 2024

How to cope with my mother’s incessant humming and groaning?

CaringinVA Feb 26, 2024
Noise-cancelling earbuds/ headphones may prove helpful. I have a family member who makes a terribly annoying noise when she eats. My earbuds help block the noise and keep me from getting super frustrated, especially when I play rain and snow sounds from an app that I use. Hope that helps give you an option!

JoAnn29 Feb 26, 2024
For my Mom they considered it anxiety and she was given meds for it.

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BurntCaregiver Feb 26, 2024
I knw exactly what you mean about the humming, groaning, and often grunting. It is maddening.

You could come right out and ask her why she's groaning all the time and why she insists on humming incessantly because no one wants to hear it. My mother has done this for years. It's usually to get attention. She usually stops if someone tells her they don't want to hear it. Try telling her to stop and see what happens.

If she has dementia, well there's really not much you can do about it other than try to ignore it as best you can.

AlvaDeer Feb 26, 2024
This article might be of interest:

Alzheimer's Q&A: Is humming common in people with Alzheimer's disease? | News | theadvocate.com

This is very common, as are facial tics and moving the mouth in compulsive manner as though chewing food or gum. There are many explanations, but all in all this comes out of a broken brain, so whether this is a self-comforting or other compulsive behavior, any criticism is likely to raise anxiety levels and increase the very affect that's disturbing to you.

You might discuss this with the MD. Sometimes a very low-level anti-depressant stops some of these compulsive behaviors.
So sorry you're going through this and wishing you the best.

funkygrandma59 Feb 26, 2024
Your profile says that you just had your 90 year old mother move in with you while you work full-time.
I'm not sure of your thought process here, but hope you don't live to regret that decision, as many folks do.
Did you not notice her humming and groaning before you agreed to have her move in with you? I mean I'm sure this isn't totally new and has probably gone on for some time now right?
I mean I guess the only thing you can do at this point as your mother's not going to change is like Anxietynacy said below and buy some earbuds/plugs, or turn up your TV or music loud to drown her out.

Anxietynacy Feb 26, 2024
Earbuds?

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