On The Floor

Mom has no idea why Lyn decided to lay on the floor.
Lyn didn't know why either.

Nikka didn't know why and it worried her.  When Nikka's worried about Lyn, she seeks physical contact.


Lyn continued laying on the floor for some time.  She was calm, even when Nikka sat on her.

This is one of those inexplicable things about Alzheimer's.  She does something and there's no real explanation beyond "It seemed like the thing to do at that moment."

One of the things we can explain is the pacing.  Lyn has started pacing in the evening.  She'll walk about 10 steps, turn 180 degrees, walk and turn, walk and turn.  The pacing is a common behavior with Alzheimer's patients and may indicate that the individual needs to use the restroom but no longer recognizes their body's cue's.  It can be a manifestation of anxiety.

Our weekly Skype conversation was interrupted by Lyn leaving the room to pace.  She returned a few minutes later to cry on Mom's shoulder.   She was tired and that always leads to anxiety that is hard for Lyn to understand.  She cried for a few moments and then took the suggestion to go take a bath.

Lyn's pacing is, I believe, a physical expression of her anxiety.  The triggers seem to be the time of day and fatigue.  Those are part of her Sundowning but they're getting more pronounced.  She now even wants to come home for the day and be in for the evening by 2pm.  She likes 2pm.  Later worries her.

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