I could really use some help on trying to figure out what's going on and what to do. My mother broke a hip 2 1/2 months ago and has recovered extremely well physically. However, she's lost 20 pounds and was thin to begin with. She doesn't want to eat, nothing tastes good to her, and sits around a lot with her eyes closed but not asleep. She doesn't seem to know the names of things like soap, food items etc. I'm afraid she's just giving up. Is there anything I can do? She doesn't have any other health problems other than AD. I'm very sad and frustrated - nothing I do seems to make a difference. Please explain what's happening.

Responsibledaughter,

It's perfecly normal to feel a sense of helplessness when watching a loved one lose the ability and the initiative to perform simple daily tasks. But your concern and devotion to your mother's care show great character and are undoubtedly much appreciated by your mother and those around you.

Physical injuries and all that's associated with their treatment and care can be stressful experiences for any one of us, but can be even more so for a person with dementia. As such, it's not uncommon for someone with the condition to exhibit rapid progression or acceleration of symptoms immediately after an injury, particularly in the areas of eating/nutrition, weight loss, and/or sleep among other things. I've attached a fact sheet on eating/nutrition which contains some useful tips on caring for someone with eating difficulties. I've also attached a fact sheet on the stages of Alzheimer's Disease, which may give you some further insight into the progression of her condition. If you have any remaining questions, please don't hesitate to call us on our helpline.

Dear Responsible Daughter: Is your mother still taking any pain meds? When she was discharged from the hospital, was she discharged on new or different medications? If so, she could be experiencing a medication effect.

Also, when having a hip repaired, and for a period of time after, there is an indwelling folely catheter to drain the urine. Catheters are the frequent culprit in urinary tract infections, (UTI's).

Many UTI's in the elderly are "silent"; that is, they have absolutely NO symptoms at all. No fever, no pain or burning, no odor. BUT, in the elderly, silent UTI's are the single most common cause for changes in cognition and/or behavior.

You may want to contact the doctor and ask for this to be ruled out. If she is not capable of performing the dynamics of a "clean catch" urine, a home health nurse can come out and perform and in and out catheterization to get a clean specimen.

I hope the answer to all of this is simple, and soon your mother will be filling a bit or chipper again.

I will be thinking of you.