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Mom is 94, bed bound and has dementia.She doesn’t do this during the day and usually begins in the late afternoon to early evening.

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Is it common for an elderly woman (94) to constantly mutter to her self during the evening into the night?
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Reply to Lad7660
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She could be "sundowning", or "looping" also known as perseveration, Google it for more information.
If it is keeping her from getting good sleep, or seems to be bothering her at all, then talk to her doctor about medication to help her relax and sleep. My husband benefitted from Trazodone. There are some anti-anxiety medications, also sleep aids, depending on what she responds to. You may have to try a couple different things before finding what works. After many years, I now use a combination of Trazodone and Depakote (both low dose, and minimal if any side effects) at bedtime, and my husband is asleep within 30 minutes. I also have the TV on for him, Antiques Roadshow is what he watches as he falls asleep. The TV helps him to feel not so alone in dark silence.

There are some tips for managing Sundowning, which you can also Google for better information, but keeping a consistent schedule and routine, turning on lights in adjacent rooms and hallway so there are no dark spaces she might find confusing or scary, and keeping her from being over-stimulated or over-tired are some keys to managing Sundowning.

If it doesn't seem to be bothering her, let it be.
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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Caring wife:: SUNDOWNING.
Most tvs have sleep mode, set it for 90 minutes to turn off.
some back stations have soft gentle music with nature scenes.. waterfalls mountains, ocean scenes, etc.
That might help to settle her in at night
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Reply to MAYDAY
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It might be worth exploring medication to help her sleep because if she's truly muttering all night she's not getting any rest. My mom did well with mirtazapine which is not a sleep medication but an anti depressant used off label, with it not only did she sleep better she was more herself during the day.
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Reply to cwillie
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There are residents at my husband's memory care facility that mutter all day! It's gibberish. My husband can do a good job of muttering himself. He gets calming meds.
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Reply to Fawnby
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