She takes 250 mg of Depakote, twice a day and 0.5 mg of Ativan usually once per and on occasion twice per day. She takes 40 mg of Paxil one a day. Thoughts?? Thanks
Teena Snow is another expert in caring for loved ones with dementia as their needs change. Alzheimer's Association also has loads of information. As her brain deteriorates, the medications that once helped her to be calm/focused often stop working as well as they did. Changing medications is an art and a science, and her neurologist or MD needs to know how she is doing now. Look into the idea of attending a dementia specific adult day program - gives you and your L.O. a bit of a break from each other, so that you have some time for yourself and it reduces the loss of time for yourself that is so hard in caregiving.
This question was changed to now ask if there is "any relationship between her medications and this problem"!
Pose this question to your spouse's doctor who prescribed these meds to ask if fidgety behavior is a side effect. Or Google the meds and see what the side effects for each one are. Or read the links provided to learn what behaviors are common with dementia, or all 3, better yet.
Dementia is such that your spouse eventually won't be able to focus on anything for more than a minute or two, if that. That's the nature of the beast, unfortunately. Nothing you do, or no medications, will change the outcome of her lack of focus as the condition progresses. You can get her a 'fidget blanket' on Amazon to keep her hands busy, that is sometimes helpful for an elder with dementia who's fidgety.
Your best bet is to familiarize yourself with how dementia works. I suggest you read this 33 page booklet ( a free download) which has THE best information ever about managing dementia and what to expect with an elder who's been diagnosed with it.
Understanding the Dementia Experience, by Jennifer Ghent-Fuller https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/210580
Jennifer is a nurse who worked for many years as an educator and counsellor for people with dementia and their families, as well as others in caring roles. She addresses the emotional and grief issues in the contexts in which they arise for families living with dementia.
As her brain deteriorates, the medications that once helped her to be calm/focused often stop working as well as they did. Changing medications is an art and a science, and her neurologist or MD needs to know how she is doing now.
Look into the idea of attending a dementia specific adult day program - gives you and your L.O. a bit of a break from each other, so that you have some time for yourself and it reduces the loss of time for yourself that is so hard in caregiving.
Pose this question to your spouse's doctor who prescribed these meds to ask if fidgety behavior is a side effect. Or Google the meds and see what the side effects for each one are. Or read the links provided to learn what behaviors are common with dementia, or all 3, better yet.
Your best bet is to familiarize yourself with how dementia works. I suggest you read this 33 page booklet ( a free download) which has THE best information ever about managing dementia and what to expect with an elder who's been diagnosed with it.
Understanding the Dementia Experience, by Jennifer Ghent-Fuller
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/210580
Jennifer is a nurse who worked for many years as an educator and counsellor for people with dementia and their families, as well as others in caring roles. She addresses the emotional and grief issues in the contexts in which they arise for families living with dementia.
The full copy of her book is available here:
https://www.amazon.com/Thoughtful-Dementia-Care-Understanding-Experience/dp/B09WN439CC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2E7WWE9X5UFXR&keywords=jennifer+ghent+fuller+books&qid=1657468364&sprefix=jennifer+ghent%2Caps%2C631&sr=8-2
She also has published a workbook entitled, “It Isn’t Common Sense: Interacting with People Who Have Memory Loss Due to Dementia.”
https://www.amazon.com/Isnt-Common-Sense-Interacting-Dementia/dp/1481995995/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2E7WWE9X5UFXR&keywords=jennifer+ghent+fuller+books&qid=1657468655&sprefix=jennifer+ghent%2Caps%2C631&sr=8-4
You may need to consider placing your wife in Memory Care Assisted Living if and when caring for her at home gets to be too much for you to manage.
Best of luck with a difficult situation.