Re: Patti - a question on agitation

[Guest guest]

patti,

hugs hugs hugs to you, thank you so much for sharing that, i can relate to

everything because my dad is agitated and is retired militray so i can really

understand what you are saying about not being to tell where reality ends and

dreams start. dad relives alot ofhis past it is same with dad. he dreamsa about

real people and the past, and his dreams make them come into present.. hugs

to you for sharing

sharon m

a smile a day keeps the meanies away!!!

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I can think of two things right off that seemed to hwlp me and that

was anything I found funny and sometimes may have even been

inappropriate laughter and soft, easy smooth music. I think someone

reading to me might help, never had anyone do it, but I did try this

myself with my mother. I would read the bible to her and poetry. I

have noticed that some tings on TV relaz me and even will put me to

dleep whilr others make me worse. So I don't think it is the TV it

self is bad, but what is on it. I think old movies for e would be

great. Like you though I used to take my mother out in a wheelchair

and point out the beuaty of the sky, a flower anything to stimulate

her mind to work or take it off what ever it was that was agitating

her. It didn't usually take long. Oh one more thing I would ask her

philisophical type questions and even though she may not respond to

them all the time she listened to my ideas and it seemed to also take

her mind off what was agitating herSometimes she would say " Oh,I

don't know Patti " That was an indicater to me to do something else. I

found the same thing never worked everytime, but a variety for her

and for me kept things from being so boring. Sometimes she really

surprized me. What would you do was great because it made her feel as

though she was still giving back. Or at least that is what I think. I

can tell you though to talk to them. I remember in the hospital being

soo boring unless I was with thye staff and watching them interact

with one another and very oftyen would laugh at them. Some of the

staff irritated me though as I didn't want to p;ay their wae games

and they were Army. lol Actually one or two of them had been in the

service, one retired from there and he was mean or so I thought, but

see they played into my dreams and fears. So in reality you never know

what the source of the agitation is or why it may be different one

time from the other. I can just tell you there is something

different. there was a nurse there that I liked very much, but

thought there were twins one working one shift and the other another.

One I seemed to cling to and the other I kept my distance as I didn't

trust her. It wasn't until the end of my stay there I found out she

was both people. Now isn't that iteresting? Hope this

helps....Hugs.....Patti

> Patti,

>

> My Mother has had real trouble with anxiety and agitation. Some of

the

> things that you mention as making anxious seem to also bother my

> Mother. I have her in a nursing home since my Father and I could not

> care for her at home. She wasn't sleeping at night and was severely

> agitated. We have started her on Exelon and that has helped

> tremendously. Her memory is better and she can communicate better,

but

> she still has days that she really gets upset. She is very paranoid

at

> times.

>

> My question to you is, what are some of the things that help you to

> calm down when you get anxious? I know it will vary from one person

to

> the next, but maybe some of the things that help you will help my

> Mother. Moving around seems to help my Mother. If she is walking

well,

> then walking helps. If she is not walking well, then we put her in a

> wheelchair and push her around the nursing home.

>

> I would appreciate any comments you have on this subject.

>

> I sometimes wonder what I would do in your situation. Since it is

> really unknown if it is genetic, it is a possibility that I have to

> face. I admire you courage and willingness to help.

>

> Keep up the fight,

> in Dallas

[Guest guest]

Patti,

Thanks for your suggestions. I have had good luck with reading to my

Mother. She seems to really enjoy it, but I'm not sure how much she is

taking in. She sometimes asks questions about what I'm reading, so I

think she might understand more than I think.

My Mother seems to think there are multiple of my Father and also

sometimes me. She has trouble remembering that he has visited her even

though it might be just an hour ago. She seems to remember my visits

more than my Father's, but she always wants him there.

In the beginning Mother was telling us to put her in a nursing home,

but when the time came, she didn't want to go. Now that she is there,

she doesn't want to stay. She says she doesn't like the people there

and because she is paranoid, she doesn't trust them. I know it is hard

for her because the only people that really can talk to her are the

staff and many times they don't have time to just talk. My Father and

I visit her frequently. In fact, during the day, the longest she is

with out one of us there is 4 1/2 hours. That time is over the lunch

period, so some of that time is taken up with eating.

I have another question. Does bad weather make you more agitated? We

had a week long stretch of rainy weather and Mother was really

agitated. One day we had storms near, but not at her location and she

was more agitated.

Thanks again for helping.

in Dallas

> > Patti,

> >

> > My Mother has had real trouble with anxiety and agitation. Some of

> the

> > things that you mention as making anxious seem to also bother my

> > Mother. I have her in a nursing home since my Father and I could not

> > care for her at home. She wasn't sleeping at night and was severely

> > agitated. We have started her on Exelon and that has helped

> > tremendously. Her memory is better and she can communicate better,

> but

> > she still has days that she really gets upset. She is very paranoid

> at

> > times.

> >

> > My question to you is, what are some of the things that help you to

> > calm down when you get anxious? I know it will vary from one person

> to

> > the next, but maybe some of the things that help you will help my

> > Mother. Moving around seems to help my Mother. If she is walking

> well,

> > then walking helps. If she is not walking well, then we put her in a

> > wheelchair and push her around the nursing home.

> >

> > I would appreciate any comments you have on this subject.

> >

> > I sometimes wonder what I would do in your situation. Since it is

> > really unknown if it is genetic, it is a possibility that I have to

> > face. I admire you courage and willingness to help.

> >

> > Keep up the fight,

> > in Dallas

[Guest guest]

,

Yes bad weather depresses me and sometimes even scares me. I feel

more lonely and afraid. I have more of a tendency to have a paic

attack. You all are very welcome. I am soon going to be asking you

all questions as soon as I can remember them to ask.lol...hugs...Patti

> > > Patti,

> > >

> > > My Mother has had real trouble with anxiety and agitation. Some

of

> > the

> > > things that you mention as making anxious seem to also bother my

> > > Mother. I have her in a nursing home since my Father and I

could not

> > > care for her at home. She wasn't sleeping at night and was

severely

> > > agitated. We have started her on Exelon and that has helped

> > > tremendously. Her memory is better and she can communicate

better,

> > but

> > > she still has days that she really gets upset. She is very

paranoid

> > at

> > > times.

> > >

> > > My question to you is, what are some of the things that help

you to

> > > calm down when you get anxious? I know it will vary from one

person

> > to

> > > the next, but maybe some of the things that help you will help

my

> > > Mother. Moving around seems to help my Mother. If she is

walking

> > well,

> > > then walking helps. If she is not walking well, then we put her

in a

> > > wheelchair and push her around the nursing home.

> > >

> > > I would appreciate any comments you have on this subject.

> > >

> > > I sometimes wonder what I would do in your situation. Since it

is

> > > really unknown if it is genetic, it is a possibility that I

have to

> > > face. I admire you courage and willingness to help.

> > >

> > > Keep up the fight,

> > > in Dallas