She is 81 years old, for over 2 years maybe longer she has had hallucinations and paranoia. Only recently diagnosed with Dementia and sundowners. Already diagnosed with Depression and been treated for the last 7 months. Also diagnosed with dysfunctional grieving over her late husband. He passed away almost 5 years ago and she grieves as if it was yesterday. The recent problem is the waslking etc. and no one can figure it out. Thursday she went in to the Psychiatrist and he needed to keep her 3-5 days to evaluate and adjust her medications. She got up that morning ate breakfast, dressed herself 3 times to get ready, put on her make up as she does daily. Changed the sheets on her bed and made it up. Once admitted into the hospital she suddenly can not walk, can't feed herself. Not even stand to be put on a potty. Refuses to put any weight on her legs. She just dangles them out in front of her. She wont even try, just tells the nurses she can't do it. Now here is some history on her... She has always wanted pity, attention and to be waited on hand and foot. To a point she demands to be catered to. So someone please tell me how she could walk into a Dr office and now an invalid?
I'd also speak with her doctor about it. Does she have a doctor who regularly treats patients who have dementia? Does she have a Neurologist? I'd likely consult with them to rule out any other kind of cause for her not being able to walk, like a stroke, however, it is part of the progression of dementia. If you look at the chart of stages of Dementia/Alzheimers, you'll see how eventually, the patient loses the ability to do a lot things, like eating, swallowing, using the bathroom, walking, etc. Eventually they are unable to sit unassisted.
Of course, I'd confirm with the doctor that this is what is going on with her. It could be a stroke or some other condition causing it, including medications. Did she start on any new meds?
You or her fave person wheel in a wheelchair, and say:
"Come on Mom, they can't help you here".
See if she can get in the wheelchair, see if she can get into the car.
I could give you detailed instructions on what to do next, but you won't be needing them is my guess.
Weakness or paralysis
Abnormal movement, such as tremors or difficulty walking
Loss of balance
Difficulty swallowing or "a lump in the throat"
Seizures or convulsions
Episode of unresponsiveness
Signs and symptoms that affect the senses may include:
Numbness or loss of the touch sensation
Speech problems, such as inability to speak or slurred speech
Vision problems, such as double vision or blindness
Hearing problems or deafness
It doesn't seem to be this. Even the PT can not get her to even try. It appears she has chosen to flop down on them to be pampered. I do not know for sure and I was hoping it was something that can be worked with to correct. I do hope soon the PT will work to get her back mobile. I have been told by several medical profession workers she is a smart cookie and playing people. She was always a pro at manipulation.
Why I asked is that my Mom had a serious fall in the kitchen of her home, hitting her head, of course there was no outside noticeable injury, but it was found she had a brain bleed... and the x-ray had also showed another brain bleed from another fall [one I never knew happened]. Anyway, my Mom was unable to walk or even stand.
In about 1970, my Nana was in her mid 70's, and had been having symptoms of Senility/ Dementia for years, though no real diagnosis. But again, there wasn't near the information, the knowledge, or the research thats has been done for Alzheimer's and Dementia, that has been done since, so at this time, she had a diagnosis of Senility, and we later found out it was Alzheimer's.
So on the particular day, my Nana and my Mom had been having an argument, my Nan was angry, went into bed, lay down fully clothed, so angry she refused to speak to any of us, she went stiff as a board, clenching her jaw, even trying to pull her out of the bed was futile, she was purposely stiffening up her arms, everything. Again, I was a kid of about 14, so this (and stories of the event since) is my recollection.
Showing off was norhing new for my Nan, so my folks let her be, the next morning, still, no changes, and by this time she had not gotten up (or so they thought) to use the toilet, and refused to speak or even eat anything offered or left next to the bed. So my parents called 911.
The paramedics took her to hospital, and in the ER, I remember my oldest sister saying "Nana, knock this off", and trying to get touch her face, and my Nana went to bite her.
Tests were done, labs, and she was given a big shot of a Vallium like drug, which instantly knocked her our, and relaxed her muscles which she had been holding clenched all this time. And she began to snore loudly, relief for my worried parents at last.
This episode was the Saving grace for my Mom however, as it was determined that she could not be returned home, my own Mom could no longer manage her. She had been caring for her through her mental decline, and bizarre behaviors at home, since she came to live with us from the UK, when I was about 7, she was my Dad's Mother, so around 7 years now, and their relationship had always been a rocky one, because my Dad followed my Mom to this country to marry her.
She was diagnosed with Organic Brain disease, or what thay called Alzheimer's, and she also tested positive for Latent Syphilis, which can seriously impact the brain in old age. Remember, she had lived in the UK, during both WW1 and WW2, and clearly had never been diagnosed or treated for that.
She was sent to live in a Nursing home, where she continued to decline, and in the end, could not remember any of us, nor could she speak. She did go on to live another 13 years.
It was all very weird, but a relief to my parents. In moving her belongings, and cleaning out her room at home, we found all sorts of strange things. She had cut up all of her old pictures, she would steal and then wrap up and hide things like tiny gumball toys, pop tops, jewelry. She had been using the flip top waste basket as a toilet, urinating in it. Hiding all sorts of things in her luggage in her closets, dirty undewear and clothing to name a few.
There wasn't the wide range of public knowledge about Dementia in the 70's, as there is today.
I hope that the Drs can come up with a reason why your Mom cannot walk, but I imagine it has something to do with her mind misfiring, or simply her being defient. Maybe it was her plan to take full advantage of the "stay-cation", all along. But I would be reluctant to bring her home before her this is all figured out, as she will be too much for you to handle on your own!
You may have to trick her, to seeif she is indeed faking not being able to walk.
Once she arrived in her room at the hospital, did she get into her PJ's on her own? Get into the bed on her own? Have hospital staff noticed her moving her legs at all? At night while asleep? One would think that she would be unable to pull off a charade for long, and I do hope it is a temporary situation!
Please let us know how this all turns out, ad do come back for friendship and support! Good luck!