Can a 93-year-old lady recover from Dementia "outbursts?"

I'd check with the doctor. It's possible that a medication she's already taking is part of the problem. Otherwise, there may be some adjustments he or she can take. Since the sedatives work to calm her, maybe that's all you can hope for, but it never hurts to double check.
Good luck,
Carol

My MIL has dementia/stroke, and is a fall risk. We had her at home(hers) and were doing in home care with caregivers but it was not working out as mom had adamantly refused to do anything as far as keeping herself clean. She was an RN and knows what is needed, but with her dementia she has forgotten that she used to wash and do oral hygeine for the patients that she cared for. We have now placed her in a care facility and have hired someone to come in 2xs a week to bathe her and help with oral care, but she is still refusing to let anyone help!! What can we do because it is now an issue as she smells so. When we tried to do this here she told me she would break my arm, now I know that this is the illness talking but she has super human strength when in this state and a grip like a vice! The CNAs can only go so far and since she is so against it they can only document what they tried to do. How can we get her bathed???? Please help with a solution if possible.

My Mom had them also and yes they can. Depakote is a medication (not a psychotic med) that cured my mom immedately. I hated to give meds but she was happier on them, rather than off. Her neurologist gave us the sprinkle capsules and you can put over food or in something. I make prune pudding and put them into that to help keep her regular in the bm dept. This pill is meant for people to calm down seizures,( my mom never had a seizure), now used for dementia/alz patients as a safer alternative. Talk to your Moms primary care or neurologist about it. At first she will be very tired, but that wears off and they are fine. Sedatives constipated my Mother and made her unsteady on her feet, we dont need another fall. Good luck, there is a light dont worry. lol

You Re going to have to sing her through it or medicate her, she will get a UTI and that can be serious. Good luck, I went thru it with my mom and constant interesting stories of what she did great as a mom,along with singing and we got through them, it was tough! Once the outbursts came daily we had to medicate.

The other thing I would like to mention is that Dementia is ever changing. The things my mom did a few months ago, she doesn't do now... it seems like it is continually changing her behaviors. For example, she will go through days or weeks of "I want to go home!" (She lives at home! The same house she has been in for over 12 years!) Then it will subside for a time, then occasionally reoccur. She went through a time of hitting and being very angry. Fortunately we have NOT seen that one re-cycle around. Every person is different to some degree as well. Some days I just have to hang on and try to enjoy the ride. Unfortunately I have never been that big of a fan of roller-coaster rides~!

I suggest having her doctor order a blood culture and urinalysis as there is new evidence that people with dementia often have aggressive outbursts because they are in pain or discomfort due to an urinary tract infection or other infection and are unable to express their symptoms to others. Studies have also shown that UTIs can lead to increased symptoms of dementia in general.
Be forewarned however, as in my mother's case, the doctor may be reluctant to treat her. Mom's doctors response when she tested positive for a UTI, "Eh, it's up to you if you want to treat it. All the old ladies have 'em." Good luck.