My mom was moved to memory care 2 months ago after suffering from her first UTI, at which point her ability to form any words at all is gone completely and she cannot carry on any kind of conversation. When I first arrive at her facility, she'll allow us to sit for several minutes, she'll try and tell me "things" in jibberish which I cannot understand. Then she insists on walking me around her facility, in circles for the rest of the time I'm there. I feel like I'm a little puppy dog, following after her owner. I realize every dementia patients shows different symptoms, but is this one of them. If so, how do I deal with it? It just seems crazy to me. Oh and btw, she refuses to leave the building at all. It'd be nice if I could get her out for a drive. But she won't hear of it.
However, if she seems to be moving because she's constantly 'fretting', you might want to talk to her doctor. When medication is suggested, you shouldn't immediately think it's about making the resident easier to deal with, it's often about improving the quality of their lives. If you've ever seen someone suffer through high anxiety every waking hour because their family doesn't want them 'drugged', you'd agree that meds can be a blessing.
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