I'm not sure I mentioned this in my first message (which was so warmly received last week and I thank you all!) but my mother also has uncontrollable angry outbursts that can last anywhere from half an hour to all night long. She becomes the nastiest, meanest, angriest person I've ever seen. It's like I'm watching the Exorcist and wouldn't be one bit surprised to see her head spin around.
She's in a wheelchair but thinks she can walk. She can't even transfer from bed to chair to toilet, etc. by herself and screams at people when they try to help her. We live in fear of her anger because we're brainwashed into thinking her feelings matter the most and you MUST NOT UPSET the person with dementia! I feel like screaming at her, "You have dementia and don't know what the @#%$@#$%^ you're talking about!! The reason you don't know you can't walk is because you have dementia. Dementia. DEMENTIA. It's not everyone else who can't remember, it's YOU."
Yes, that sounds horrible, doesn't it? I never actually say it. I scream it inside my head when I try for the 1200th time to tell her that "your Dr. just wants to make sure you're safe, that's why people are here to help you".
We are looking into memory care now. And yet despite all I've written, I'm still torn. About 30 minutes a day she's a decent human being. I have pictures in my head of her sitting alone in her room scared, lost, confused and alone. It breaks my heart. At the same time, I'm coming to hate this woman who used to be my mother. And lemme tell you, she wasn't that much more amiable before she had dementia. She's always been narcissistic and me-centric. She never had one iota of self-awareness or accountability. Everything was always someone else's fault. She is still that person times a million now. I keep hoping she'll someday become a fun dementia patient who says goofy things and wears silly hats and laughs at the little things. Yes, I realize I'm delusional.
So, I write to you, dear warrior friends. You get it. You know the feelings without me even having to type them, but type them I do. Sending them out into the universe where they have fallen on compassionate ears and hearts. I so appreciate the response I got to my first note. I haven't felt that in a long time. That feeling that I'm not alone. I'm not in this by myself fighting for my sanity. I feel like we're all in this together. My dearest wish is that some of these words help some of you as you've helped me in your response.
That's it for tonight. Tomorrow? Onward and upward, right?
P.S. It just dawned on me that I haven't asked a question! My question is, what are your most successful distractions when your LO is uncontrollably angry?
Thank you :)
Before meds I got a wireless ear plugs. I would listen to music, books, or even music while he was screaming. I would just turn up the volume and nod.
You could also have someone come for 48 or 72 hours, for respite care and not go to the house. Then at the end of the time see how YOU feel. Because now it needs to be about you. Dementia is a terminal illness for her. Dont make it one for you. Also when you return to the situation see if she even knows you have not been there. Walk in and say, is there anything you need, and act like you have been there.
Then I think you will have the info you need to make an informed decision. Also think if you drop dead from a heart attack because of the stress who will take care of your mom.? Stress can kill. If your mom was a great or poor mom the real question is if you want to allow this horrible disease to take 2 victims. You need to be a survivor to help the ones on this newsletter.
And I believe she remembered that because now she does not try to get up.
You have my prayers.
Diverting.
Sometimes I leave and ask ministers and counselors to call him.
Most times I’m able to gently hold both his ears ( so he gives ME all his attention) and kiss him and again tell him we are a team, and we love each other. Then divert !!!
The calming effect, as well as helping her arthritis pain, is amazing. She's not out of it or stoned because there's no THC in it, just calmer. And able to communicate better, and I think happier overall. I'd research interactions with her current medications as it didn't mix well with the Seroquel they had my mom on at night. Fortunately, we were able to stop the Seroquel and she sleeps just fine.
Good luck!
The nurses at her new home took her off all those drugs, get her up and involved in daily activities that engage her mind and body. Now she is on a regular schedule, is eating well, sleeping well, and is not having periods of agitation. They administer melatonin when she’s restless at night because the dementia messes up the biorhythms and causes them to have disrupted day/night cycles.
I learned when my Aunt has her out burst, I let her get it out, yes, let her get it out of her system, and I do not respond to anything she says. If no one responds then she stops eventually. Like no one is listening. Her out burst use to last as long as your Mom's, now they last for 30mins at a time.
They do learn even with dementia all that screaming and yelling doesn't change anything. Now my Aunt get prescription from doctor to calm her and it worked. We have not had an out burst for 3 whole weeks now. Knock on wood...
Ask you Mom's Doctor if he can prescribe meds to calm her if possible. Stay strong, we all know the struggles as caregivers.
As to your questions, no, don’t feel guilty about finding your mother a place in Memory Care. Never forget that the staff there are not locked into a 24/7 prison with one person like you are. The staff work 8 hour shifts with breaks, they care for multiple people and so get a break from the difficult ones.
My mother is now in a Memory Care where the residents are not isolated in their rooms, there are multiple activities for them everyday, they are encouraged to be out of their rooms and interacting with residents and staff all of which helps with cognitive and dementia issues caused by isolation and lack of socialization, even if she chooses to just sit on the sidelines and watch at least she is there, no sitting by alone staring at a TV all day which is what she did at home.
It might be the best thing for your mother. Mom's oldest sister developed vascular dementia and one of the effects was for her to turn on their other sister who had been her best and closest friend. She had decided Auntie was the reason she was in a facility and was very hateful to her whenever she visited.
I hope you get some peace whatever decision you make.
God Bless you for sacrificing so
much of your life (That most won’t).
I get scared about the ‘guilt‘ attached to having to be the one to deal with this myself. What my mother has said to me has emptied my heart and soul and I also get scared for my health.
She loved her aquarium. it was the most relaxing and pacifying thing and my daughter came up with it. She would sit for hours and watch her fish. We got a big aquarium with big fish. Sometimes she just watched, and often she would have long conversations with the fish. She was also comforted with stuffed animal babies. Folding clothes was another calming activity for her. What did your mom love before ALZ? Animals? Knitting? Puzzles? (They actually make puzzles for dementia patients. Large pieces that fit together easily). Mom liked it when she got phone calls, so we would go in the other room and call. She made no sense, but we tried to make it as enjoyable as we could for her. She liked it when we brushed her hair,
We know what you're going through. As the dementia progresses, their care becomes easier. At least that was my experience. The fight goes out of them as they become less aware. If you can endure it, you'll know in the end that you did your best. Don't let it ruin your family though. Your children and mate need you and are fully aware of what you're going through. There are many considerations when weighing home care vs. a facility. Best wishes friend.
As a teacher, I always had the philosophy that a child deserved a fresh start each day, and sometimes each hour. They needed to know that even if they had a bad morning, they could always turn it around and I would always support that (not just assume they were still grumpy/angry). I tried to use that approach to mom too. If she yelled at me when I took her to the restroom...we could start fresh at lunch...I was the one approaching things in a happy, positive attitude, hoping it would influence her attitude. Sometimes it did, others it didn't, but I approached each activity fresh.
I also used to say that my little 2 year old grandson taught me how to deal with mom. He would come in, step up on her foot rests on the wheelchair and say, "hi gamma marvin" with a big smile. Sometimes she would respond with, "get out of here" not nicely". He would smile, hop down and say, "okay" as he happily bounced off to play. Then he would come back in about 15 minutes and do it all over. Usually she would respond in a happier way the second time.
I also found bribery worked, "hey mom let's take care of going to the restroom and then we can have some pudding!"
One time when mom was still at least a bit with-it, she had been complaining about me, I sat down by her. I told her I loved her very much and I always wanted to care for her, but if I was doing such a poor job at it, I would help her to find a facility that could care for her. She said no. I knew she wouldn't remember it in a while, but at least I could reflect on it and knew she did want me.
If it is too much for you, there is nothing wrong with putting her in a memory care place. That is also a way of caring for your mom. It will let you hold a different role in her life.
Looking forward to reading some other responses. Good luck.
I am in it deep with you.
It is dangerous for you, your family and other caretakers. Something must be done bc it is getting dangerous.
You need a psych consult or talk to her primary doctor ASAP. Get an appt. You shouldn't have to put up with being stressed out 24/7 bc she's ticked off at the world.
That can also be depression on top of dementia. It can show in the person by being belligerent, nasty, nothing suits. It doesn't always show as crying, not getting out of bed and sleeping a lot. Depression can be turned inward, or outward.
Get a doc appt asap and get those meds adjusted. It is not just for you, as a convenience; it is to make her more comfortable not drugged out of her mind. She is obviously in extreme distress. Would you want to spend your last years mad at everything and everything? No it is to make the person more comfortable. There can also be underlying anxiety too. They know their brain is not working. Good luck.
My mother listens and resists less with others. She doesn’t know who I am but I think she does know my voice and ignores me - unless I give her a command, like: “watch out you are spilling it and it’s hot.” Then she understands me and clearly finds the words to respond with: “I’m not spilling it!”
I’ve often read similar relationships with other caregiver daughters and their mothers.
It be great to start an elder with dementia and NPD exchange program - where I take care of someone else’s mother and someone else takes care of mine. So that the not so fun memories of a difficult childhood doesn’t come into play and strain our efforts to help them.
Because I can’t afford to hire anyone and my mom has got kicked out of 4 nursing homes my brother put her in and almost died of starvation & dehydration due to being drugged 24-7 and even though I do have that option again (I think). It’s a death sentence to her and maybe to anyone who has to deal with her in that type of setting. She’s is still very strong and able to walk a bit but when she’s angry she can do things she normally can not. Or will not anyway.