Is your loved one with dementia sleeping a lot (too much)?

I have a 57 year old daughter who has been told she has onset dementia. Sometimes I feel the diagnosis does not fit ,somedays she is quite well and other days has trouble getting her words out ,is very concerned about the pets .is this normal?

my cousin with dementia after going into a residential facility would ask about her cat continuously. It was a vicious cat, biting and scratching everyone including my cousin whose arms were all scratched. I don't know what happened to her cat, I assume her friends had it euthanized as no one could/would adopt it, and it was old about 13 with cancer. But now when she asks I tell her the cat was adopted by a family with 2 children, and they love her cat. It keeps her calm and relaxed, and she will only ask once or twice, (not 12 times in 1/2 hour). She finds the "lie" a source of peace, and that's important at this point in her journey.

I've read that we caretakers are supposed to go along with delusions. Like....oh the guests canceled. They will come tomorrow for dinner. I can't. It feels demeaning to my husband; I've always been 100% honest..don't ask my opinion unless you want the truth. I say, "It is just us two for dinner tonight."
We have never been entertainers other than family either and that was seldom before we moved closer to one daughter. He is constantly locking and shutting doors in the house. I have new hardware that has a tool to unlock a door if necessary. I will admit to having a hissy fit when he took a nap and locked me out of my own bedroom. Paranoia is part of ALZ. Hiding things so "they" won't take it. Who is they? No clue. My friend's mom had ALZ; she went to her son's home and yelled from the yard that his wife took her best bra. She drove around with her silver in the trunk, so the daughter in law wouldn't take it. My mother-in-law swore her daughter took her loofa. Buckle your seat belt, this is going to be a bumpy ride. This forum helps me to know I'm not alone on this journey.

So right!

My sleeping is way more before. I have an accident years ago and I’m a TBI person and take meds for anti-seizure 3 times. a day. Before my accident I sleep a lot too. May dad was eep after his work day. I had 8 hours per day and now I sleep 9-10 hours per day for my TBI. Right after my accident slept 18+ hours a day and now 9-10 hours a day.

Interesting to read this. My husband often reminds me to fully close the bathroom door even though it's always just the two of us here. In those moments he thinks he's in skilled nursing where he went after hospitalizations a few times.

Lately, he thinks there's another woman who has taken care of him (always last night or earlier today) and she looks a little like me. Sometimes he's surprised when I know things about his life because he thinks I'm "her". He always tells her nice things about his wife so that feels good 🙂

My husband has days of clarity and other days its confusion. He also has progressive aphasia so on days when he's making sense with his words I'm overjoyed! So is it normal? I don't think there's any "normal" along this journey. It can change from day to day, which is what makes this so hard. There are times when I have to tell him little white lies so he won't worry and its not harming him either, and he's accepts my answers. What is concerning her about her pets? Assure her that they are being fed and taken good care of and there's nothing to worry about. Who told her she has onset dementia? If you're concerned, I suggest you see a doctor so your questions can have answers to why she's acting and thinking the way she is. The sooner you know for sure, the better ( for lack of a better word)
Take care and hugs to you

wow, @joastarnes, that must've been unsettling for everyone that we needed ambulance assistance to get from the salon to the car. How did you manage once you got home? Was he able to get into the house on his own with your assistance?

Hi @steelbeam, I hope you saw the helpful reply from @bayviewgal to you here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/1114102/

Early onset dementia comes its particular set of challenges. You might be interested in this related discussion:
- Caregivers: Early Onset Alzheimer's, diagnosis age 19 to 65 https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/caregivers-early-onset-alzheimers-diagnosis-age-19-to-65/

The things you described can be part of dementia. But as other caregivers here will be quick to add, no two people with dementia are alike.

Was your daughter diagnosed by a neurologist? Does she live on her own with her pets?

I am not sure ,she is with her husband and I daughter ,they seem to accept the fact ,but l have the feeling that it is more like the 3rd eye gland .,they are keeping me in the dark,and I don't know what to do about it .thanking all for your support