She sits staring blankly or sleeping unless I entertain her with picture books. She won't read, play piano, X-words. Do I need to keep her entertained by MAKING her look at picture books, taking her for walks, looking for what is different between 2 similar pictures, make her play hymns on piano etc etc or is there no benefit in forcing her to stay entertained? She never argues about doing the activities but I am doing all the work and entertaining because I feel guilty letting her just doze in the chair all day after sleeping 12-14 hours all night. She sleeps 8pm until 10:30 AM and I have to wake her up to eat breakfast. She is ready to go back to bed at 1:30 and sleeps all afternoon until I wake her up for supper at 6pm. If I constantly keep her entertained by taking her outside for walks in the wheelchair, doing her PT exercises with cans of soup and getting in and out of the chair without using arms, and marching around the house, or looking at books, she will stay awake, but I can't tell if she enjoys it or would rather I just leave her alone and let her sleep. Is there any real BENEFIT to keeping a 98-year-old with moderately severe Alzheimer's entertained? It takes a lot of my time and is emotionally exhausting when she won't remember 5 minutes later that I did anything with her. I do the PT and walking so she won't lose her ability to walk around the house and help me get her out of the bathtub.
Please do some online research and discuss with her doctor.
We none of us live forever, and to have reached 98 years is really quite remarkable. Kudos out to you both.
I think it may be time now to discuss best measures for end stage comfort care with your mother's doctor. You may want to consider options for palliative and hospice care.
Remember, the goal now is comfort until your mom reaches her end as peacefully, and with as much comfort as can be provided.
Sounds you have done a remarkable job of care for your loved one.