My husband, Paul, has Alzheimer’s. He’s in the moderate stage. His neurologist has talked to him repeatedly about the need to get a good nights sleep. He’s told Paul that lights out should be no later than 11 PM. Paul continues to stay up an hour or two longer than that, then he sleeps all morning. For example, I woke him up at 11:30 AM this morning to tell him I was leaving to do an errand. I don’t know if he’ll actually get up.
We sleep in different bedrooms. I am usually asleep by 10:30. I’ve given up reminding him to turn off his light and TV by 11 because he doesn’t do it. If I wake him in the morning at 8 or 9 he’s angry. But I feel like I am enabling his poor sleep habits by letting him sleep all morning.
I would appreciate any suggestions.
I am dealing with almost the same thing here-my husband has Frontal Temporal Dementia and over the past few months is sleeping until 1pm. He wakes up, has a cup of coffee, fruit or yogurt, watches some tv and is now playing a computer game. He has set this routine, and it seems to suit him. I'll check in on him, see if he wants a snack or something to drink. Dinner is at 7pm, we watch a movie and then he's up to bed by 9pm or so. Because he was thrashing in bed we now sleep in seperate rooms. His room is set up with the computer, new mattress for the bed, and soft lighting. It's quite nice. He may go to sleep around 1am. I do not know, I let him have his time and schedule as he sees fit. I do remind him every evening, that he must wake me up if he needs anything. Otherwise, this is the routine right now. I know it will change as his brain is affected by dementia. At least now, he seems somewhat content.
The neurologist is aware of the increase in sleeping and thinks it's fine, as does his primary care doc. No need to insist on re-joining a world dementia will not let him be part of. It's not his fault, it's the disease taking him away from me.
Only you know Paul's nature and his diagnosis, and his norm for his every day. But it is perfectly normal to want to sleep a lot. You might want to consider sleep patterns for the night not to be very disturbed and wakeful.
There is no right and no wrong, basically, when dementia is there. It is as unique to each person as his or her own fingerprint.
AD will rob your husband of everything he is or ever was, bit by bit. Strive to keep him comfortable until you can't do it anymore and then look into Memory Care Assisted Living when things get too tough.
Take care of yourself along the way too. Your life is just as important as Paul's.
Best of luck.
Best of luck.