We have our "Mama Flo" on a scheduled (recommended by her primary physician). She goes to bed at 10:00 p.m. and gets up at 10:00 a.m. She still wants to doze all day long. We are continually having to wake her up. She is NOT on any medications that would make her sleepy. Someone is always with her, or at least in the house with her, whether it be my husband and/or I, or our caretaker who helps when we are both away. We are continually waking her up. We recently started putting her to bed at 9:00 p.m.--that seemed to help at first--but, she is STILL wanting to sleep!!! Help!! How much sleep does she need? She generaly takes 30 minute to 1 hour nap after her lunch at 2:30. It just doesn't seem to be enough...????
Is her swallowing all right, no problems with her actually getting the tablets down?
She was physically active and near perfect until, again, about 2 years ago; big slow down since then.
God bless and help folks who take care of a parent. People with children might disagree but it is harder than raising a child because you are slowing losing someone. But, I love her dearly. I only wish we all planned better (you know, expecting that one day she would be most comfortable living on one floor with bath and access to a porch, etc.)
Thank you for the chance to read other experiences on this topic and to add my own.
With the advancement of the dementia, it's possible that her medications would need to be evaluated again anyway.
I'm not saying it's impossible that the OP's mother has the same condition as you, but I think there might be simpler explanations. Like being very old and very tired.
All the same, I'm delighted for you that you've found a life-changing solution and I completely agree that it's something always to be considered.
Ask your primary care doctor about having a sleep study. He/she should send you to a sleep specialist doctor for the test and diagnosis.
Now this does not mean that ALL elderly people sleep all the time. I don't want to get angry responses from people arguing that their mother/father/MIL/aunt/whoever is out dancing every night. Good for them! My 95-year-old aunt is still going strong too, but she does sleep more than she used to and tires more easily.
I remember when I was young I volunteered in a nursing home. I used to hate to walk the halls and see elderly people sound asleep in their wheelchairs all over the place. I thought it was a sign of neglect on the part of the staff. But then I started taking care of my folks and realized that something as simple as getting up and getting dressed and walking out to the family room will wear my dad out so much that he falls asleep immediately. I have to wake him up to feed him breakfast. Then he falls asleep again. I give him the morning paper to read and he falls asleep holding it. He gets up to use the bathroom, then goes back to his chair and falls asleep. When he had his physical a few months ago the doc said that he is very healthy for a man his age, and the sleep thing is perfectly normal.
So don't worry about your mom sleeping, and certainly don't give her stimulants to make her stop. Enjoy the quiet time, for heaven's sake!
yes we dont want our lovin parents to slip away . so sad but then sometimes i think they want to slip away , get tired of living same old same ole , everyday , my mom was young when she passed on , always said i lived a good life , i want to go meet my master . thats all she ever think of is to go meet her master , she was tired of living with cancer , god bless her soul !
come back and keep us update or just to be talking to eachother , always a pleasure to meet someone new .
like i said hateful commets , just ingore it . say few cuss word in ur mind then ah u ll feel better . xoxoxo