Expert: Mary Gordon - 11/24/2008

Question
Hi Mary,
I have asked you questions before about my mum and I know have another one.
It seems that my mum has very little tolerance know of being in a room with a lot of people.
Yesterday she had a few visitors and she sat there with her eyes closed. On a couple of occasions i noticed her open her eyes have a little look around and then close them again.
Is this a common thing?


Answer
Hi Julie
Noises and crowds of people, and even changes to their routine can really overwhelm people with Alzheimer's. Their poor brains can't sort out what to pay attention to. If you, with your intact brain, are in a room full of people talking to each other, you can pay attention to one person, and follow what they are saying. You have the ability to ignore the rest, and screen it out.

A person with Alzheimer's can't do that, so when there is too much going on near them, it's just an upsetting and confusing jumble they want to get away from. Many are very distressed by noise levels as well as a lot of bustle and activity around them. Its actually a good thing your mom could just close her eyes - sometimes the reaction is to get very agitated and try to get away from it.

So yes, what your mother was experiencing is pretty normal for a person with Alzheimer's.
My mother in law once went to a bridal shower in early-mid AD, and was extremely upset by it, even though it involved friends and neighbours she knew. She was still very self aware, and she knew she should have enjoyed it, but the whole thing ended up being very distressing. She was very frustrated and embarrassed and just couldn't figure out what was going on. She couldn't follow the conversations, she was confused by the activities, she wasn't sure who was who - and she wasn't anywhere near as far along as your mum at that point.  

Hope this helps

Mary G.