My 97 yr old mother is rapidly becoming mentally disabled. The onset is so rapid I suspect medication (over-the-counter sleep aids in particular). She's been checked for a UTI, negative. She recently had heart failure due to fluid overload and spent 2 nights in the hospital. Since the heart failure episode I've noticed advanced confusion and memory loss. As a lifetime insomniac, she takes sleeping aids nightly. For the longest time I was able to pacifly her with Melatonin. Now I noticed she has slipped an over-the-counter sleep aid into the Melatonin bottle (purchased by her DIL). I have no idea how many pills she takes at night. My question is: can the sleep aids be the culprit, or at least a part of it? Has anyone had any experience with sleeping pills and the elderly?
Best thing to do is call her doc and tell them what you’re observing and let them suggest what to do. There is no set time schedule for dementia. My mom went downhill very rapidly.
you said it was after the hospital stay that she seemed to be confused more. I've read so many times that hospital stays can have lasting effects on a elderly person. at 97 it could just be her age and are natural changes.
maybe get everyone on the same page regarding what/how many pills she takes/is given.
I know my mom and dad (especially my mom) took Benadryl (half tablet) to help sleep. they did long term. she even turned me on to the Benadryl thing. I stopped when reports started coming out about the link to dementia. they both have/had dementia.
I wonder just how many elderly people have medicine related dementia.
Thanks. My mom passed in 2016. Over the course of about 6 months , it went from reminiscing about her past to listening to her tell me they had moved the entire facility, building and all, to Russia overnight. Sad. Lousy disease.