Expert: Michalene Peticca - 7/18/2007

Question
She is in a fine nursing home who obviously like all others nursing homes don't
know much about Alzheimers care.  My Mother is not walking and is afraid of
any movement and panics when you touch her or move her wheelchair, she will
grab on to with powerful force anything that she can to stop moving.  What is
her problem.  Could it be a part of her brain or lack of physical therapy?

Answer
Hello Catherine,
Thank you for writing.

Yes, many nursing homes have staff that could benefit from continued training about Alzheimer's disease.  

With regards to your mother's situation, it may very likely be due to the Alzheimer's disease.  

Due to the physical deterioration of the brain with the disease process, many individuals experience a sense of "tunnel vision"; that is, they only experience their world of what is directly in front of them.   Unlike us, who can still know that a wall, chair, picture, etc. is behind us because we have a 360 degree sense of our world.  
Alzheimer's individuals lose that 360 degree sense.

Therefore, it can be very frightening if someone comes up from behind and moves the wheelchair and she may have a sense of "falling" due to the brain deterioration.  Unfortunately this is common but it will pass in time.

I strongly suggest you or any staff member Always meet your mom from the front, making eye contact before you speak and going Slow ....the processing of movement is very impaired with an individual with Alzheimer's.

Hope this will help!

Best Regards,
Michalene Peticca M.A.