My mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's... she's started doing a number of strange things I think are related to Sundowning. She gorges on sweets, eats cookies and pudding in bed, and lately asks everyday why the caregivers are there. If we ask about hiding the cookie wrappers or pudding containers in the trash, she denies she ate them, but no one else did. We are taking her to the doctor to try to get something to calm her mood, which goes south between 3 - 5 p.m.; she screams at the caregivers and stamps her feet and tells them she doesn't need them; but her answer to everything is I didn't do that!
She'll check her blood sugar and find it is high. I'll say it's because she ate snack crackers. She'll deny that and say it is genetics. If I don't buy crackers, there is h3ll to pay. If I do buy them, she'll sneak them, then forget (or deny) she ate a lot of them, though the packaging is in the trash. She is diabetic, so I have to decide whether to let her have her crackers or not. Hard decision, since she is 91 and nearing death.
There is so much that I could write all day on my mother's not realizing anything is wrong with her. She is really nasty to me, so I've had to learn to avoid her. Today I wouldn't give her a laxative, so she ordered some from the pharmacy when I went to the grocery store. She's waiting for the delivery now, though she's probably forgotten and won't recognize the doorbell when it rings. I don't want to be involved in any way with this, but what to do when the doorbell rings??
I wish she realized something was wrong. It would be a lot easier to say it was the dementia playing tricks on her mind. She gets very angry if someone even hints that something is not right with her brain.
I found this interesting, and maybe you all will, too.
http://www.amcneurology.com/blog/2011/04/01/alzheimer%E2%80%99s-disease-co-morbidities/
"Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder that affects patient’s memory, language, and judgment, decision making, planning and organizing.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains the most common cause of dementia. There are currently 5.3 million Americans affected by the disease, and as the number of aging population increases without a disease modifying treatment, it is projected to be 15 million by 2050.
AD is a complex disease; hence the treatment can at times be complicated and often challenging to the treating physicians. Successful treatment of patients with AD requires a thorough understanding of the patient and the family dynamic. AD like any other chronic condition may have other medical and psychiatric co-morbidities that need to be addressed. Treating the AD with anti-dementia drugs is a small part of the comprehensive management of AD. The discussion of medical co-morbidities are beyond the scope of this article, however, the psychiatric co-morbidities such as depression, anxiety, delusions, hallucinations, agitation and aggression will be discussed. Some patients may have an undiagnosed personality disorder that resurfaces as the patient’s ability to compensate diminishes." .......
Leaving the trash and not remembering is the disease, don't take it personal. It can be a challenge to let things go. Clean it up, throw it away. Don't ask her. Sorry she is not going to remember. My mom gets very upset when it is time to pay them. She enjoys the company. Could use advice on how to get past that one.
JessieBelle, totally understand. I quit asking. It can cause confrontation, which is going to make you both miserable. Stay strong ladies.
Thanks again, all. Thank goodness for this site.
Yes, they can have a lack of awareness and be in denial at the same time-isn't that crazy? If you're in denial, then you wouldn't acknowledge you have a problem, therefore you don't HAVE a problem.
Denial is a powerful emotion. You can "believe" yourself out of anything but still have the problem. I had a patient that was HIV positive absolutely deny that she had the disease, even though the results were on the paper in front of her!
Alzheimer's is such a complex disease. It's really hard to know what's affected and what isn't. When I talk to mother about her memory, she says, " I can't remember anything anymore." but will then vehemently deny she has dementia.
Some sentences make sense and others are 'off the wall'. It's hard to wrap your (sane) brain around what parts work and what other parts are totally broken. It's like the disease is selective as to what memories, functions and responses to take and what to leave.
My mother will tell you she could live alone in her previous apartment in SF. (No way) She tells me she's leaving to go back there tonight. "How will you get there?", I ask. "Well, you"ll take me." "So, you can cook and clean the house and wash clothes again?" After a moment she says, "oh forget it."
Dawg gone, they can be stubborn about what they believe is right. Mother asks for a pill for her headache multiple times a day. She won't accept the answer that she already got one. So I put TicTacs in an empty pill bottle and give her one when she wants it.
JessieBell, could you get away with that with the laxative?
My mother also says that she could live here by herself if I decide to leave. I know that she can't handle much of anything anymore, so we stayed painted in a corner waiting for a big change.
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