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I am perplexed. My 85-year-old MIL was ambulatory up until 6 days ago. Then suddenly she was unable to stand or put any weight on her legs. They shook uncontrollably with occasional dizziness. No other symptoms at the AL facility. She was transported to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a UTI and treated with 3 days of IV antibiotics. PT tried to get her up and could not. Doctor stated that her inability to walk was from the UTI. He said UTI and Alzheimers patients take different tolls on the body systems. She also has slept NON STOP. Only to wake up when someone addresses her. 6 days ago she was able to go to the bathroom by herself. Starting with this event 5 days ago she is completely incontinent. She cannot set her food tray up. Someone has to do it for her. No fever. CT scan and MRI scans were both unremarkable for stroke, etc. Lab tests were also unremarkable for anything that jumps out.


Has anyone ever come across a UTI that can knock a geriatric Alzheimers patient down like this?

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This happened to my friend’s sister. She suddenly stopped walking. The doctor told her that it was brought on by her dementia.

She ended up in a wheelchair and then was completely bedridden for a long while before she died.

Some situations do seem to be a total mystery.

What has the doctor said about her condition?

Best wishes to you and your MIL. Please keep us posted on her progress.
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There is something called “normal pressure hydrocephalus” that can cause incontinence, dementia and gait instability due to high intracranial pressure. Maybe discuss with her neurologist to see if that’s a possibility.
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It's must likely from the vaccine boosters
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The UTI caused mom to take another "step down" in her disease progression. My mom had to go into a wheelchair fulltime after a bout w pneumonia and vertigo hospitalized her. She recovered enough to live for nearly 3 years more, but she never walked again or was fully functional.

See how things progress and if she improves w time. If not, ask for a hospice evaluation. AD is terminal and qualifies under Medicare as 100% paid for service in AL.

Fyi, most ALs will want a resident to leave and go into a SNF if they are bedridden or in very rough shape. Most ALs also will AGREE to keep a resident until death IF they have hospice coming in. This is some useful info to find out NOW before you're gobsmacked with them asking her to leave.

Best of luck to you
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While in hospital CT, MRI we're unremarkable. PT had no explanation other than " keep her in bed while in the hospital". The nursing staff wanted to get her up in a chair. She tried to roll out of bed several times so the hospital had to put the bed alarm on her and floor mat.

AL doctor says several weeks of PT, OT, Speech therapy , clearing up uti. Reevaluate.
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lealonnie1 Mar 2023
This could do the job, or perhaps not. There's no way to tell. PT and OT for an elder with AD who's exhausted can be a real exercise in futility.
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When infections go unchecked for a while it can produce other very weird side effects. My 103-yr old Aunt had a cat bite on her leg that turned into a systemic infection and it caused her vision to turn completely upside down (not vertigo, but if someone with ALZ got this it would basically probably make them feel like it). It was temporary and eventually went away as the infection was cured, but she really couldn't do much until that time. Maybe your Mom has something similar so that keeping her eyes open is very confusing and bothersome? If it is this issue, it will resolve with treatment.
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Absolutely. Very common in my opinion. UTI is merely annoying at age 30 or so, but is very tough on the elderly with dementia.
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There is no "sided weakness?" That is to say no facial droop on one side, and no side on which arm and leg are weaker? Have you been there when PT is working with her to ask their opinion of what is happening with her?

Just occ. it is impossible to diagnose a stroke by CT--unless a hemorrhagic stroke. It sounds so much like a stroke has occurred here, especially in its suddenness.

I surely do hope that you get more answers. Has she been seen by a neurologist?
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