My mom is 91 and she has become quite aggro to staff and other residents in the home she lives in. Does anyone know if this is comon in the elderly with dementia and what is the treatment for it? Can it be controlled without sedation for example? :confused:

My mother-in-law suffered from dementia for 8 years, the last 6 in a nursing home. Yes, she grew worse as the dementia progressed. She even punched one of the nurse's aides in the stomach while they were walking to the dining room, for no reason. She also started using fowl language, which she never did before she became ill. We never knew what to expect when we visited her. As the illness progressed towards the end, she was unable to talk or relate to us or anything else.

We just tried to keep the conversation on the light side, whenever she would let us, and ignored her outbursts as best as we could. I don't think that she was on any medication for this as the mini-strokes left her not in control of her actions or words. She lived until 92 yrs' old.

Before she started having the mini-strokes, she was a very quiet, easy-going and pleasant woman, a joy to be with. She would have been shocked to know how her personality changed as the dementia progressed.

Hi Sonflower ... very sorry to hear about ur mother-in-law. You mention mini strokes ... is that what all dementia sufferers have? How would I know if my mom is having them ... is there any paralysis or is the agression a symptom? My mom is just aggressive but has not paralysis. I really hope my mom does not deteriorate to the point that she does not know us ... she has heart trouble and has had two heart attacks in the last seven years or so ... so I dunno how long she can hold out. She is going to be medicated for her aggression shortly ... anti epileptic pills were mentioned to help control and a mood stabeliser ... dunno if it's all combined into one pill or what. Thanx for ur reply :)

The first few strokes she experienced she didn't know that was what had happened. She was walking home from the mailbox, and next thing she knew she had fallen down. The next time, she was standing on a chair trying to get something from the top of a closet and she fell off the chair, but again didn't know it until she came to. After these two events, she would have another mini-stroke about every few months and then they became more frequent. She never experienced any paralysis, in fact, she was in relatively good physical health until a few months before she died. It just affected her brain with confusion, memory loss, outbursts, etc. The good thing is that there were times that we were able to communicate and even have a good laugh about something once in awhile.

Most of the time the stroke left her somewhat confused and unable to speak normally for a few days and then she would recover and be fine. After 2 years of this she started to get more aggressive and confused and very confrontational over the least little thing. By this time we had moved her into our home as we were afraid to leave her alone.

If it's still available, a good book to read on this subject is "The 36-Hour Day". I don't remember the author's name as it's been a long time since I read the book.

Blessing to you both.

The first few strokes she experienced she didn't know that was what had happened. She was walking home from the mailbox, and next thing she knew she had fallen down. The next time, she was standing on a chair trying to get something from the top of a closet and she fell off the chair, but again didn't know it until she came to. After these two events, she would have another mini-stroke about every few months and then they became more frequent. She never experienced any paralysis, in fact, she was in relatively good physical health until a few months before she died. It just affected her brain with confusion, memory loss, outbursts, etc. The good thing is that there were times that we were able to communicate and even have a good laugh about something once in awhile.

Most of the time the stroke left her somewhat confused and unable to speak normally for a few days and then she would recover and be fine. After 2 years of this she started to get more aggressive and confused and very confrontational over the least little thing. By this time we had moved her into our home as we were afraid to leave her alone.

If it's still available, a good book to read on this subject is "The 36-Hour Day". I don't remember the author's name as it's been a long time since I read the book.

Blessing to you both.

Thanx for your reply SonFlower ... sad that this happens isn't it. It's quite possible my mom is the same. She has had a few falls .. I guess it's just assumed she trips ... for now she is in this psychiatric clinic for assessment. Dunno what they will find ... but I hope she can return soon to her familar surroundings a calmer person ... thanx for ur help anyway ;)

My mother is 80 years old and has suffered from mini strokes. She would first have a dizzy spell and have to grab something to hold on to It would last for only a few seconds, but I guess a mini stroke has no time limit. I asked her doctor about her dizzy spells a couple of years ago and he was very concerned. He ran a few tests and told me that he would like to put her on blood thinner and monitor her. He would like for her to go to a health care facility in order to monitor her for this. She lives alone and she "refused" to go. The doctor finally had to threaten her in going or he would not be her doctor any longer. She refused anyway and I had to find another doctor. She blames me for losing her doctor, She has issues with me anyway I am the only one left in our immediate family. My dad passed away and my brother passed away three years ago. She is very aggressive to me. Just last week she hit me and she verbally abuses me ( which she has been doing as long as I remember). She had my name taken off of the emergency contact at the hospital. She says it's her body, none of my business. I am desperate for any suggestions. She is so cunning, she passes all the tests they give for Alzheimers. A nurse at a geriatric doctor's office told my daugher the first of this year that she does have some short term memory and that she needed to be put on medication, but my mother refuses to go back. She says there is nothing wrong with her. So between her issues with me and her short term memory and lieing, I don't know what to do.

Sorry to hear u have to cope with this antsy ... my mom has had some dizzy spells on and off ... I wonder now if they are mini strokes ... however ... when my mom was in her 80's .. she too was stubborn and would not allow us to organise her life for her ... slowly but surely as things changed we got her into care .. it started with a bad fall and a broken wrist ... after spending time in care for that .. she sort of got more use to it ... at 91 she now accepts. I guess whilst ur mom still has all her faculties there is not much u can do. It would be nice if u can try and maintain a reasonable relationship with her. On the other hand ... has she always been nasty to you? If not ... it's possible that she has dementia and this is affecting her behaviour. All u can do is monitor the situation and maybe get some advice from social services in your area. Good luck ... I hope things improve you and your mum ;)

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Personality changes are also typical of dementia and/or Alzheimers. Some people with dementia, who may not have been so nice in their younger years, actually become sweeter and more pleasant. However, the most typical change is aggressive behavior, with occasional cursing, meanness and/or some degree of violence.

There are some wonderful medications available to control this aggression. After a loved one has been checked out physically (to make sure that the aggression doesn't have a physical cause), I'd be all in favor of medication. If these people were alert enough to be aware of their behavior, they'd be upset or even mortified. Why not allow them the dignity that medication can give them? I'm not talking about zonking them totally; there are some very well-known and widely-used, very successful medications that have a minimum of side effects.

I agree with you ... but here in Britain they refuse to sedate them in any way ... so if my mom doesn't settle well in the new home where she has been placed .. the next step is to a higher level of care .. and I don't think she needs that ... but it's not in my hands .. so all I can do is hope she behaves where she is now as it's a wonderful home she is in :)

My grandmother is 85, she's legally blind as she has macular degeneration, but can still see certain things, and complains of back pain which no drugs seem to help, not even ones with morphine in them....or epidurals. And her mind's not too bad, until recetly only a few things would slip by that seemed a little odd, I chalked it up to her being blind and/or never wearing her hearing aid.

Anyway, last week she fell down and couldn't get up, she stayed on the floor of her flat for approx 5 hours until someone found her. The doctors said she might have had a mild heart attack but they weren't really sure. She didn't hit her head or anything and it wasn't clear whether or not she fell and suffered a stroke or heart attack or had the stroke or heartattack first then fell down.

A week or so later she's totally batshit. Disoriented, doesn't know the difference between her 2 sons, (my dad & uncle, my uncle is in another country and not here with her) she thinks she's in a new flat, but she's in a hospital bed, when she does realize she's in a hospital she thinks there's dwaves in the beds, and that the nurses hate her, and sees flies on the walls (there aren't any).

Does this sound like a stroke? Is that what happens after one? She wasn't totally nuts before, what makes you loose your marbles suddenly in geriatrics?

Thanks!