For the past several months this has been an issue with my 94 YO mother with afib/mild dementia. She sleeps around 10pm gets up around 3am for bathroom break then I get her up at 7 and 9 for pills. Every morning I try to get her out of bed by 930 but she keeps pushing this back 'give me 15 min' to the point that its almost 11am before she starts getting up. We need an additional 30 min to get dressed and get her downstairs. This in turn impacts feeding schedule. Any ideas to work around issue
It is common for our elders, whether with dementia or not, to sleep more and eat less as their condition progresses toward the end of life. My own Dad in mid 90s admitted he was so done with it all, fun it had been, and now longed for nothing but the "final long nap". I was a nurse, and had heard it before, trust me, from so many elders.
They honestly are simply "tired". Nothing to do with depression or giving up. Just a fact.
Tell me more about these meds, their suggested schedule. Or your own schedule needs. I would bet this isn't the prime imperative for mom anymore. Looking forward to update from you, and wishing you the best of luck.
One thing I learned from my caregiving experience is to not sweat the small stuff, things like rigid schedules for meds and meals really don't matter in the long run.
1. Worry less about the feeding schedule. If the medications allow it, let her have a piece of toast or some banana or a yoghurt or whatever when she wakes to take them, then make lunch her first proper meal of the day.
2. If her cardiac team agree, encourage a 1-2 hour nap, a proper one lying down on or in bed, in the afternoon after lunch. Recharging her batteries (so to speak) at this time might help her stamina for the rest of the day; but anyway build in naps where you think they'll best support her own natural schedule.
Don't roust her out of bed for the sake of it, though. There probably is a good reason she wants those extra minutes.
I would check with your pharmacist how her pills should be taken. Maybe its not so much when, just that she gets them. Its not unusual for people ur Moms age to sleep 12 hrs or more. Her AFib problem may contribute to her tiredness. Maybe a trip to the doctor. Have you checked her pause ox and bloodpressure. Low blood pressure does cause tiredness. Labs will show any problems.
At 94 years old, don't you think she's earned that right?
And like already said, why must she be woken up at 7:00 and again at 9:00 for her medications? Can they not all be given at either 7:00 or 9:00 or even better when she finally wakes up, even if it's at 11:00?
People at your mothers age and even younger tend to sleep a lot, and a lot don't care much about eating either. It seems that you're the one who is all bent out of shape over your poor mother messing up "your" routine, instead of you just chilling and working around her routine. And if she misses a meal, guess what? She's not going to care one bit.
So take a deep breath and get off this crazy hamster wheel you're wanting your mother to be on and let her enjoy her final time here on earth. And if her enjoyment comes from sleeping a lot, well...let her sleep.