My mother is 90 years old and has no appetite and the smell of food makes her nauseous, and she isn't able to sleep at night. She doesn't want to take sleeping pills because she doesn't want to wet the bed and refuses to wear a diaper. What can I do to help her eat and sleep? She also has macular degeneration and can barely see.
Expert Answer by Jennifer Serafin, N.P.
Your mother sounds like she has several issues. I will try to break them down individually, as this will make them easier to work on.
1)Poor sleep: Many elders have poor sleep due to aging changes. The most helpful way to combat poor sleep is to improve sleep hygiene. This means going to bed and getting up the same time every day, and sleeping in a cool, dark room (no TV). About sleeping pills in the elderly, they often improve sleep initially for a few days or weeks, but after that they do not help improve quality of sleep. Also, some sleep medications can cause grogginess, which can contribute to falls. I would first try the sleep hygiene techniques, and if they do not help your mother, then she should talk with her health care provider about her poor sleep.
2) Poor appetite: Is your mother depressed? This can cause poor appetite (and poor sleep, too). This problem really needs to be checked out by her health care provider, as certain diseases can change an elder's appetite, and this should be looked into.
3) Frequent urination: Your mother may not be sleeping well if she is afraid that if she goes to sleep, she can wet the bed. If she will not wear adult briefs, perhaps you can buy a pad to put on the bed in case she has an accident. You can try getting her a commode chair next to her bed so that she can get up to the toilet quickly (without having to walk to far), which may reduce accidents. She should also talk to her health care provider about her frequent urination to see if her medications are contributing or if something medically is causing this symptom, like a urinary tract infection.
So, my advice to you is to take her to her doctor for a check-up, and talk to them about the poor sleep and appetite, as well as the frequent urination. She may be depressed, or have a urinary tract infection that may need to be treated. Good luck!
Answer
Thank you for your advice. My mother probably is depressed. Her husband passed away two months ago and she doesn't have anything to do all day. She is hard of hearing so the other people in the home she is in she cannot hear when they talk to her. My sister comes to see her every other day, but she is her only visitor usually. Her other children (me included) live far away and it is difficult to come to visit very often.
Was this useful? Spread the word and help others like you!