He's had problems sleeping for a lot of years in the past.
He's on pain medications due to the many falls he's had prior to the PD Diagnosis, but that doesn't seem to help him sleep.
He's constantly calling mom to help him get comfortable in bed, or go to the bathroom to urinate, as he just can't urinate in the urinal. Mom is getting resentful, as she's getting called to help in every 1/2 hour, and needless to say, she's not getting any sleep.
I've offered to come help on Friday evenings, as it's not possible to help during the week, as I won't be able to concentrate at work. But Dad is very concious of me helping him to the bathroom. so my offer was turned down.
My folks, nor I, have the finances to hire someone to help at night, and I'm not sure if mom would feel comfortable with a stranger in their home, and I know she still wouldn't sleep. Mom promised dad she would never place him in a home, so they're caught between a rock and a hard place, so to speak.
The problem becomes, how I constantly have to hear how she doesn't know how much longer she can deal with this, and how she didn't sleep, and how many times he woke her up, etc, etc.
I don't know what to say to her any more, and I'm at witt's end! I need some suggestions, and / or support. Help!
Hope things improve. Robin Brown, Sydney, Australia.
I, myself, take Trazadone because I have had some insomnia due to stress and probably menopause. Trazadone is an old fashioned anti-depressant that no one uses any more for depression, but it works wonders for sleep and is not addictive.
If you Google "Parkinson's and sleeplessness" you'll come across, among others, the following reasons:
(1) Medicines used to treat Parkinson’s disease may cause insomnia due to difficulty in falling asleep or by causing vivid dreams or night terrors; (2) Periodic limb movements; (3) Nocturia (waking frequently to pass urine); (4) Inability to turn in bed; (5) Sleep-related breathing disorders; (6) Pain (generalized aches and pains associated with Parkinson’s disease); (7) Co-existing depression and dementia; (8) Increased daytime sleep either due to medications or due to dopamine deficiency in Parkinson’s disease; (9) Nightmares (patients with Parkinson’s disease often suffer from nightmares which prevent them from going back to sleep; (10) Hallucinations; and (11) Age of the patient (Parkinson’s disease occurs in the older age group who, in normal circumstances, often suffer from insomnia).
Let me know how else I can be of assistance.
-- ED
thanks!
Keeping your dad as active as possible and not allowing him to sleep a lot during the day will help. Is he able to joing a senior group or do adult day care? That would give your Mom a break.
I have my Mom drink warm milk or hot choc. before bedtime. This really helps her. I give her an excedrin if she seems more agitated. Her PD symptoms have not changed much over the years, so everyone is different. My MIL had PD too and did not die from it.
Are you in a town that has a community college or other colleges that offer medical programs? You may find a male student who would take on the "evening duty" in exchange for room and board. Contact the person who oversees the medical training programs and ask if this is possible.
Your parents will just have to get over the thing about having help come into there home. Really...your mom desperately needs help.
Your Mom's promise to not place dad in a "home" may be unrealistic. I think our parents have a rather negative view of these facilities based on how they were run decades ago. Perhaps you could take your Mom to an ALF. The ones I have been looking at are so nice and have wonderful opportunities for social interaction. In other words, all the tough stuff your Mom is doing, will be done for your dad so they can get back to enjoying each other again.
It is obvious that what has been done in the past is no longer working and your Mom is jeopardizing her health. If your Mom won't look into ALFs maybe you could do it for her. Overcoming fear is sometimes the biggest obstacle.
good luck.