My mother is 92 years old. She has vascular dementia. Her left hand is contracted and very painful. She will not open her hand. Advice?

Thank you all ! Every time we have tried to put even a wash cloth in her hand, she grimace and hurt with pain. The only medication they started her on is a low dosage of methadone and eloquist for a DVT in her leg. Thank you Barbbrookyln for the website, very helpful. I will try and find an orthopedic. Please keep my mother in your prayers..

Is she on any meds for dementia? My father had this presentation and was on meds to try to manage behaviours and it was a side effect from the meds. As they reduced the meds the hand opened back up.

I would guess that they mean that the yeast infection set in AFTER the clasping of the hand continuously. This action would hold in moisture and yeast would attack. I would guess that a splint may help a bit but this is something that you need medical help with. See your Mom's doctor; she may require some OT help with working the muscles of the hand if they are now contracted. Any antifungal cream such as monistat will help with the superimposed yeast.
Hope you will update us with what her doctor suggests to help her condition.

The yeast infection is caused by the contraction, not the other way round, of course.

This often results from a stroke.

I was taught to take a very clean, bone-dry face flannel and roll it into a sausage; then gently ease my mother's fingers loose and close her palm around the flannel. This prevents the hand from curling ever more tightly on itself.

Washing the hand in a basin of water must be followed by very careful and thorough drying. You need to have quite strong hands yourself to do it gently.

But when did you first notice this happening?

My mother developed an awful contracture in her hand. The fingernails would dig in and cut her hand. For a long time the nursing home used rolled up washcloths or cotton pads to help open it a bit. Over time though it became worse and we took her to a doctor who’s a specialist in hands. He performed a quick outpatient procedure to cut some tendons in her wrist. This caused the hand to open and she didn’t have the contracture at all again. It was well worth doing

My husband's right hand stayed contracted after he had a massive stroke on his right side which left him unable to use his right arm or hand at all. The thing that worked the best to keep air in it, was rolling up a cotton washcloth and putting it in his contracted hand. It was comfortable and didn't hurt him when I had to take it out to put a clean one in. You might want to give that a try. I can't believe hospice didn't suggest that, as that is a common practice in the medical field. Best wishes.

It's not that she won't open it; she can't open it.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/treatment-options-for-dupuytren-s-contracture-4123785

Ask if hospice will consent to her being seen by an orthopedist for treatment. Cortisone shots sometimes help. Stretching and splinting appear to make matters worse.