Hi All,
Haven't posted in a while. My mom is in mid-late stage 6. Over the last month or so she is sleeping longer and longer at night and napping during the day and dosing off even when not napping. I am wondering if she is sliding into stage 7.
Thanks in advance.
hester

Hester,

My mother, also a stage 6, has been sleeping a lot more too. She goes to bed around 9 PM and sleeps until about 7 AM (sometimes wanders around the house a bit at night, but not too often). Then she falls asleep in her chair after breakfast and again after lunch. I noticed her confusion level has increased, so perhaps it is a transition to the next stage for them.

I also wonder if the shorter days and less sunlight have anything to do with this behavior. During the summer, when we could go outside in the evening, she was much more active and alert.

I guess I'm saying I don't know what it all means but wanted you to know I am sharing your experience.

Thanks, APK,
My mom also beds down @ about 9:00. But isn't out of bed in the morning until 10:00 - 12:00 noon and often later. She also is more confused and also more withdrawn when awake.
Thanks again for your reply.

Mom is also sleeping more and has been for a few months. She will go to bed at 10:00-10:30 each night-sleep all night (sometimes talking in her sleep all night). We get up around 7:00-8:00 each morning-she will come into the family room sit in her chair and go right back to sleep. It is not a deep sleep because the minute I leave the room she is awake calling out. This goes on all day only waking up long enough to eat breakfast & lunch.

I just think it is the progression of the Alz taking her from stage 6 to 7.

Thanks Pat. Mine is the same in terms of rousing when I leave the room. But I think she'd sleep 20 hours if we let her.
hester

Also consider her meds. Whenmy mom takes zyprexa, after a while she starts sleeping all the time, and we have to cut back on the dose.

My dad also sleeps almost all the time. He even dreams about sleeping. He told me he goes around and finds strange beds to go to and falls asleep there. This seems to be his favorite thing to do... sleep. I'm not sure about stage. He seems to be between 5-6.

thanks theresa,
mom takes no psychotropic drugs at all.

My MIL would sleep 24/7 if I let her. She will go to bed at 7PM or so...would sleep forever if I didn't wake her around 9AM..get her up and going. After breakfast...nods off in her chair. I take her outside and try to get her busy doing anything after lunch...nods off..until dinner...then back to bed at 7. She is also mid stage 6. It is (I always seem to use this word) amazing to me. Some days lucid..other days gone to the world. But what really gets me is how she can be the master of disguise with an outsider or other family members..they seem to say to us, "she seems really good"...then as soon as they leave..wham back to being a mess. GOOD GRIEF!!! Can be very frustrating for sure! Good thing that most all the folks here experience the same thing or I would go out of my head with this.
Well gotta go wake up the "nodder" for dinner to complete the cycle.
Oh yes, we are starting her in a Day Care program and hope it helps!
Best to all,
CC..