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I have talked about my 94-year-old mom before for different reasons. Her dementia has gotten worse over the last year, but still recognizes everyone, remembers things, etc.


Saturday, I went to her AL and she was on the ground babbling. We (me and aides) got her up and they did all her vitals and tested her mobility and she seemed okay, but just mumbling nonstop. Probably should have taken her into the ER then.


Sunday, they checked on her and she was again on the floor babbling. They had paramedics come and bring her to the ER. She has been in hospital for a full day now, just babbling in bed. They say it's delirium, but don't know the causes.


They're wondering if a recent change to her meds (upping the Seroquel) is the cause. I talked with the station nurse now and they don't seem to be actively doing anything. I don't know if this just goes on forever or she snaps out of it or what?


Anyone had experience like this? Thanks.

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Karsten's mom has passed away.
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graygrammie Feb 14, 2025
Thank you for providing that information.
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Thanks all. They are not sure what it is, no signs of stroke, no signs of UTI or pneumonia, they had thought she may be aspirating but didnt appear though they may still treat it for that anyway. Urine seemed to be OK

They are weaning her off psych meds but added Ativan which really seemed to calm down the delirium so she can at least get rest .

Also earlier today her oxygen was down, which made them suspect pneumonia, and other vitals were down as well ,but they put her on oxygen and that seems to make other things better

Anyway, they dont know and say it may be a while before they do know
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JuliaH Feb 10, 2025
I'm sorry for mom and you. I wouldn't want to see my mom in that condition, you poor dear. As long as she's hospitalized, get some rest. Any changes in prescriptions can have adverse effects, they'll get it sorted out.
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My dad caught an infection in hospital- needed antibiotics and that triggered delirium
i looked it up at the time and other causes were side effects of medication
changes to environment causing temp delirium
it said ‘most’ cases disappear
my fathers did as soon as his infection cleared up
please get her checked out for any infection/medical issues
common cases dehydration / blood sugar/ reactions to medications / even vit deficiencies
check she’s actually drinking
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Karsten, is your mom any better today?
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Before reading other COMMENTS, my Mom has gone through the same bizarre reactions to UTI, Tramadol, and low blood sodium. It DOES get better, with changing meds, or short-term treatments.
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Karsten, did they test her for a UTI? Has she dropped any weight recently? It's my understanding that thyroid meds are dosed based on weight and could cause problems if out of synch with current weight. I agree with others that she needs to have her meds administered to her correctly and not rely on herself anymore. At 94, maybe consider having her assessed for hospice. She could be having other medical issues but the testing for this may be too much for her... If you are not her MPoA or Medical Representative (you assigned by her on a HIPAA form) then this can be a problem in getting her docs to talk to you: they legally cannot if you don't have at least one of those authorities. If you are her MPoA then make sure to take the paperwork with you when you go to the hospital or facility. Hope it's going better for her today!
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Sadly I think this happens. My 90 yr old Mum. suddenly began babbling. Yesterday she talked non stop about diabetes. The day before it was people and events linked in a non-sensical way. They speech therapy as they also work on focusing a persons thoughts and memory. Good luck.
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I worry that your mom's babbling is not delirium. She may be suffering from a UTI, another infection, drug side effects or interaction, or some other problem not related to her dementia.

Just to make sure I cover all the bases regarding delirium, I will copy paste a section of my book "Dementia Care Companion" which is available from Amazon at the following address that deals with delirium.



Delirium

Grandpa spent the early hours of the evening with family. But a couple of hours later, he has a fever and is lying in bed. He whines and talks incoherently. We don’t know what he sees or says; he doesn’t know either. He is half awake and half asleep.

Delirium is not a symptom of dementia. Rather, delirium signals a potentially serious medical condition such as infection, kidney or liver problems, or prescription drug interactions or side effects. It is usually accompanied by fever, sweating, changes in heart rate (increase or decrease), and changes in sleep patterns.
Unlike behavioral changes that are caused by dementia, delirium appears abruptly. It is marked by dramatic and rapid changes in the patient’s perception, attention, mood, speech, and ability to move or perform tasks. It appears within a few hours to several days of an underlying condition, and generally disappears if the underlying condition is properly treated.
Delirium is easily confused with behavioral issues such as hallucination, especially in patients who are no longer able to express themselves clearly. As a result, caregivers may fail to take action quickly enough, thereby delaying treatment and allowing the underlying condition to get worse.
·        Delirium is a symptom of potentially serious medical conditions that need medical attention right away.
·        Delirium may not be accompanied by fever all the time. Therefore in all cases of delirium, consult a doctor.
·        People with delirium may do things that are quite dangerous, without realizing the danger, or even remembering doing them afterwards. Do not leave the patient alone. 
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graygrammie Feb 15, 2025
Her mother passed. It was mentioned in a previous reply.
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My husband (age 83) had emergency surgery for an aortic dissection on 12/20. The surgery was successful, but 3 days afterward he got delirium. I had never heard of it before. They said they thought it might clear up in a few days, but here we are 9 weeks later and he’s still in delirium. It waxes and wanes and he has good days and bad. He sleeps most of the day and seems to get agitated at night. He’s had to have a monitor 24/7 because he tries to pull his feeding tube or picc line out. Now the hospital is recommending comfort care because I know he wouldn’t want to end up with a feeding tube and in a nursing home the rest of his life. It’s just him and me (his family lives about 800 miles away) and the hospital is asking if I think I could take care of him at home. I am 67, but have a lot of osteoarthritis in my knees, shoulder, neck & spine. I am very worried about how I could handle it. One thing I can tell you about delirium is they can’t say when, or even if, it will go away. I have read that elderly people with dementia are more likely to get it. In my husband’s case I think it was caused by being under anesthesia for a 10 hour surgery. It is a very sad condition for which there is no definitive answer.
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