My Grandma has alzheimers and at the moment, she doesn't want to go anywhere and doesn't want to talk when she has visitors, although she is still able to talk. Also, she is sleeping almost all day and all night. She just wants to stay in bed all day. What stage does that sound like?
Shakira,
first of all it sounds like your grandma, still has all her faculties at the present time. This sounds like the first stage, whch is severe depression. I took care of my mom when she had alzheimers and i took care of her till the end. The only thing different with my mom is she lost her memory it happened slowly but i am kind of glad she did it made it easier on her yet harder on us.when they loose the memory they don't relize what is happening. anyway they don't all lose it like my mom did.
The only thing i can really suggest maybe is try to think of things she used to love to do.possibly being with the grandchildren.taking walks in the park i don't know if she ever liked puzzles like the word searches are the easiest. from what i have learned in my medical profession is if you try to get her to do things that require using the brain it slows down the progression of the alzheimers also medication is she on any?
well i hope this will help some. as for lying in bed it is normal depression wise but it is an absolute must to see if you can get her out of the bed because it cause more trouble bed sores and the brain will disintegrate quicker.Also talk to your doctor just to make sure that i am right, like i have said to other people i am not a doctor nor am i a professional i am just stating facts from past experiences. which is what made me go into the profession i am in. a med tech and cna.
Love ya
trish
Thanks trish. My Grandma has lost her memory. It started about 5 years ago, i think. She asks the same question about 20 times in half an hour. Sometimes she forgets where she is and who my Grandad is. Although she knows who the rest of the family are.
I don't think she is taking any medication for it.
There's no way we can get her out of the house. If we do, by the time she gets there in the car, she says she feels sick and wants to turn back home.
Does it sound like it could be something other than alzheimers and she's been wrongly diagnosed? I think all they did was come to assess her and ask her a few memory questions when they diagnosed her. I don't think they gave her a brain scan or anything.
A big part of dementia/ALZ is finding a "safe zone" and sticking to it. They realize that being new or different places causes them stress. At home they are familiar with everything and can pretty much fake their way through more situations. Out of the house everything is unfamiliar and there are a lot more decisions that need to be made things are hard to deal with.
Laying in bed could be a coping mechanism - she doesn't have to deal with anything. See if her Dr. will give her an anti depressant.
There are only a few things that can clear up memory issues - thyroid for one - but it's sad that most of the time the diagnosis isn't really important - as there isn't anything that can be done anyway.
Thank you. Yeah, it does sound like she is depressed, too. I think she used to suffer with that in the past. I might have a word with my Grandad about it and see if he will see the doctor about it.
I know it is easier said than done, but try to get your grandma to the doctors office. The dr. can give her medicine for depression. And if you live in the U.S., you can probably get free help from Medicare to come to her home.
My father is currently and has for the past 6 - 9 mo., had caregivers to visit him at his home. We live in Texas. They send a nurse, a occupational therapist (to help them do things more safely and easier around their home) and a physical therapist, which will help to get her out of bed. This is all free if she is on Medicare. Her family dr. can set it up for her and yall.
I hope you get her and you some help. I am thinking of you and your family.
Hi, I just thought I'd let you all know that my Grandma has seen the doctor and he prescribed anti-depressants for her. So hopefully she will start to feel better now.
Is this normal? 
