 [ Symptoms ] do all people with schizophrenia act the same [ Disease ] it is very hard when a loved one is no longer able to communicate her needs to her caregiver in this case you need to be sure that she is safe and not in any pain or discomfort a checkup with her doctor is the first step the doctor will need to know how long she has been upset at night and if there have been any changes to her care or surroundings that could help explain her behavior persons who have dementia are often more confused and frightened at night or in unfamiliar surroundings after a thorough exam the doctor will be able to discuss a care plan that can help both of you this constant care and lack of sleep can put a lot of strain on the caregivers your local area council on aging or state department of aging can provide resources to help you cope webmd also has a slide show that may help called “14 ways to prevent caregiver burnout” <link> i am sorry to hear you and your loved one are going through this it is hard to help when a person can not communicate i would suggest you have your loved one checked out by a doctor whenever an elderly person exhibits odd symptoms the first thing that comes to mind is a urinary tract infection uti while these often cause delirium in a patient as opposed to the physical actions you are describing it might be a good idea to rule out a uti at the same time a health care provider may be able to shed some light on why your loved one is exhibiting these symptoms perhaps she is having pain she can not communicate it is hard to tell without a physical exam and a knowledge of her medical history i wish you both all the best