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My Mother has dementia. Rehab is changing. Any advice will be of great help.

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I had a specialist dementia occupational therapist come to our house to talk to me about the latest research and especially ideas that would help with sundowning. One really useful point she made was that by late afternoon most dementia sufferers have had several cups of tea or coffee and that the accumulation of caffeine in their systems was contributing towards their agitation. She told me to put my mum on decaffeinated tea and I really did notice a difference - the sundowning still occurs but later in the day so it's been worth the experiment in our case.
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Please, try this article, hopefully there will be some information that will help you and your mom. Please keep us posted.
thedevotedheart/what-everyone-ought-to-know-about-dementia-and-behavior/
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I've been through everything with my mother including Trazadone. My mother becomes extremely active during the night. Nothing helped her sleep. My mother is now in rehab because she stopped walking and they are also monitoring and changing her meds while she is there to see what will help her sleep during the night. It's not easy. I work full time and if she doesn't sleep then I don't sleep. If nothing works I will be hiring a night-time aide so I can get some sleep.
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You mother need a Geriatrician for a doctor. Your general doctor is not educated on how to treat an older person. The drugs used and dosed are different. They are different because the medicine they use for an older person and doses. If they walk on their on they would use different medication. It sounds like your mother has dementia. They do sundown at 4pm and become very confused. It also sounds like she doesn't sleep at night. If she is sleeping during the day you have to wake her up. All elderly need a nap in the afternoon. If they are awake very early in the morning. All I can tell you is what they did for my mother who I cared for 8 years. She was given Trazodone and a small dose of Haldol at night and it worked. Later in her dementia she would get up at 2am and ask me when where you going to take me home to see my mother and father. I would tell her, I will take you in the morning, but we have to go back to sleep. She usually would go back to sleep. But, I alway could give her another dose of Haldol if she became argumentative. Which rarely happened. If medication doesn't help and if she wanders at night she is a danger to herself and may have to be placed in a NH. Also, if she is more confused than usual she may be sick. We always knew when my mother had an infection. She was more confused and usually had an UTI. But, if all fails you and your family need to sleep. I don't know if you work. You need to be able to function. Your mother cannot be left alone. You try medication, but if it doesn't work then you need to think of a NH. I wish you luck. It is hard when it is your parent. I know, I have been there. Good luck.
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Thank you so much for the info. I am going to use it all. Very helpful.I can actualy relate to everything said.
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Ativan is good for that, if that don't work alternate between haldol or similar. We alternate one day haldol, then ativan the next. But talk to a doc for this, that's our method for my client. But everyone is different.
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My mother's doctor had prescribed two medications for dementia and an antidepressant. Her emotional ups and downs and crying spells were getting worse, especially in the evenings, so I requested that they be discontinued and asked to put her on a scheduled dose 3 x a day of Ativan, an anti anxiety medication. She use to take this for years in the past and it is the only thing that seems help calm her from her anxieties and crying spells.
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I have a Ott light, for seasonal affective disorder, next to my dad during the day since he doesn't get outside much anymore. Just don't let it go too much into the evening time.
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Don't just jump to which medication should she have for normal symptoms of dementia. Medications are not always safe with dementia and must be very strictly
watched by the prescribing doctor. I agree that there are other things to try to help reduce these "sundowning" symptoms--like routine, soothing, daytime light or a light box, or, if the symptoms are not too interruptive, just wait until they pass, as they will eventually, I believe. Just don't always jump right into medication for everything.
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Ask to her physician to makes urgently blood tests and for urinary tests to search for urinary tract infections and others infections ,that canlewad to behavior disorders as agitation and crying outs.

Look for a psychiatrist doctor that knows to deal with psychotic behaviors in elderly , maybe to givew a very small dose of an antipsychotic drug at night (take measures of blood pressure theee rimes a day - bloodnpressures lower than 110mmahgX70 mmHg with patients that are taking even very small doses of antipsychotic drugs can be life threatening - talk to the doctor.
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this can help ease*
wiil give her something to fiddle with*
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You can also let her sit in a rocking chair, does this mean also healthy is restlessness and anxiety. Giving her some busy work like folding towels and washcloths will give her something to settle with other than her own clothing or unsafe items. And I agree with the posters and said you need a new doctor because it sounds like the one she has doesn't know what he's talking about. People with dementia suffer from a lot of things including depression and anxiety. I change of environment or caregivers for someone with dementia can really make things worse, so structure and routine are very important.
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Try researching sundowner syndrome. Medication should always be the absolute last resort. There are many environmental things you can do to ease her anxiety before resorting medications.
Structure and routine go a long way in helping people with dementia. Doing the same tasks at the same time everyday. Make sure she gets at least 15 minutes of sunlight everyday, which can sometimes help the sleep/wake cycle. Pets, music, bingo, folding towels, sorting things, letting her tell stories, letting her be around people, all these things might help.
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Your mom maybe waking and be scared of her surroundings, have you tried putting a night light in her room, or put on some light music that she is familiar with and keep it playing low in the back ground may help. Ask her Dr. if he could prescribe temazepam as it won't leave her feeling sleepy in the morning. I hope it helps good luck.
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I read on your profile that she has severe dementia.

The NH will probably try different meds to find the best one for her..
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Mom's doctor gave her Trazadone.
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I just read your profile. If you doctor still says this is loneliness, then your mom needs a new doctor, one who understands dementia.
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Talk to her doctor.
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