My husband and I are taking care of his parents in our home. His mother has last stage Alzheimer's and his father has multiple problems including severe mobility problems, but is cognitively fine. Both are hard of hearing even though my FIL wears a hearing aide. Here is the problem. They both pass gas all the time. It is very loud (I don't think they can hear it) and a lot of the times there is a strong odor. My FIL has post nasal drip problems and is constantly coughing and hacking up whatever. His nose also drips constantly and he uses a bandana instead of a tissue all day long. I find these bandanas in his bed, his chair and have even found them on the kitchen table. I found him at the kitchen table shaving the other morning. YUCK! My MIL has recently started wearing Depends due to chronic diarrhea. I always have to clean her up from her diarrhea but the other day I had to clean her up at least five or six times before we finally got it under control. I have to take her to the bathroom and watching her wipe and fold and look and then throw the soiled tissue in the waste basket has me totally grossed out. I cannot get her to understand that she should throw soiled toilet tissue in the toilet. And, when they use the bathroom and there is a terrible odor left behind they never think to use an air freshenner so the odor will travel all over the house before I know what has happened. My MIL wears dentures and I have to help her in the bathroom to clean her dentures every night. And, because of the way she folds tiny bits of paper to use when on the toilet she constantly gets poop and pee on her hands and under her fingernails. I have to make sure she washes her hands very well but because of her Alzheimer's she usually doesn't do a very good job and I end of washing her hands for her. I've only been taking care of my husband's parents for three months so I am just not used to dealing with other people's grossness. I don't even like to deal with my own grossness! So, I just have no appetite and am losing weight. And, I do need to lose weight but I really don't want to lose it this way. I miss eating the food I like. Both my MIL and FIL are the sweetest, most caring people you would ever meet and I love them very much. How do others deal with this aspect of caregiving? Any tips would certainly be appreciated. Thanks so much.
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Plus, you do get slicker and more deft at the "other end" issues. Have you already bought a bumper pack of disposable gloves, like the ones they use in nursing homes and catering environments? You can pick them up cheap at Costco and similar, and they're hypoallergenic. If things get really gross, the professionals put a dab of Vicks or a similar scented balm under each nostril - I can't vouch for this tip, because so far I've got away with holding my breath and reminding myself that it's at least as bad for the other person :/