Yes! My mom is currently obsessed with some small cracks in the tile on her balcony. They are nothing! But she wants to have the tile replaced! First I tried telling her it was barely noticeable and not a big deal, that didn't work at all. Then I tried ignoring it, but she is relentless. She started bugging my husband to go to the tile store with her and to call the installer we know.
My mom has always had some OCD about her place. It MUST be perfect and in perfect order. Do NOT leave your coat hanging on the chair, do NOT leave your keys/wallet whatever on the counter, do NOT dare leave the bed unmade, it just goes on and on. One of the many reasons I never liked staying with her when I visited, it's hard to be comfortable in an environment like that.
Now she is much worse and I think it's because like Needs said, boredom. She is very bored, and I really don't know what to do about it.
Unfortunately she refuses to socialize or meet new people. It's an ongoing problem. I draw boundaries for myself but no matter what I feel bad when I think of her sitting alone bored, especially with the dementia and I know that's got to be causing some depression.
Obsession occurs because so many of the elderly are bored. They either can’t or choose not to engage in life so they obsess over every little detail. It can be maddening to caregivers until most caregivers learn to ignore it.
My mom has always had some OCD about her place. It MUST be perfect and in perfect order. Do NOT leave your coat hanging on the chair, do NOT leave your keys/wallet whatever on the counter, do NOT dare leave the bed unmade, it just goes on and on. One of the many reasons I never liked staying with her when I visited, it's hard to be comfortable in an environment like that.
Now she is much worse and I think it's because like Needs said, boredom. She is very bored, and I really don't know what to do about it.
Unfortunately she refuses to socialize or meet new people. It's an ongoing problem. I draw boundaries for myself but no matter what I feel bad when I think of her sitting alone bored, especially with the dementia and I know that's got to be causing some depression.
ADVERTISEMENT