My grandmother has Alzheimer's and she is urinating and having bowel movements on the floor, how can I help her?

@ Grandparent3...I feel for you. I was in the EXACT same situation when my MIL lived in the house with my husband, son, & me. I was Primary Caregiver. ...but all of us had to go thru it. It FRUSTRATED me to NO end! I'd have her pick it up (with gloves) if she seemed to know what she was doing and then I came to the conclusion, that she didn't and I had her stop doing that. I'd do it. I'd also make her wash her hands and pick under her fingernails and then wash them again. She's now in a Nursing Home due to so many falls--she's a major fall risk. Some I could explain, and some I couldn't. I tried to get my DPOA SIL to open the pursestrings for a Home Health Aide (HHA) to come in for 3rd shift for at least a week, so I could figure out why she was getting the other bruises, she wouldn't do it--so into the NH she went.
@ BGB... I went thru the SAME exact thing that you did. If my MIL felt that there was something up there and it wouldn't come out, she would pick at it until it did.
@ sansiam... I found that you couldn't make sense to my MIL (who has Alzheimer's Disease--AD). Especially, when she was that far gone that she picked. One time, we were having spaghetti and meat sauce...and she pooped on the carpet downstairs and she picked a part of it up and started rolling it into meatballs. Fortunately, we looked up when she was on her first one. It was either meatballs or chocolate candy that she was trying to achieve--she loved chocolate. We already had her on Miralax--for constipation. I found out you need to tell the others that take her what she had for meals and snacks. I started out journaling for everyone to read, but found I was just journaling for myself...but it was therapeutic for me. I got my frustrations out and I also found this site to do the same, only for myself.

@ Debbo64...It is good to try new approaches when the old ones don't seem to be doing any good. I want to give you all ((((((HUGS)))))) & also tell you to hang in there. You have a wonderful & patient heart, ALL of you.

Take care, good luck & God Bless,

Laura Haven

sansiam, I just heard the same thing about metamucil! Glad to hear that it did work! I deal with loose stools all the time and are getting ready to give this a shot! And your idea just might work too! I always say you need to try different approaches to weird and strange behaviors.

I'm going to suggest something off the wall, take it or leave it.......
Is there someone/something that will "make her behave"? Like a pastor or friend or relative or nurse? Sometimes, when they are able to accept common sense, it works!

I also found out that metamucil works for both constipation & loose stools.........I tried it & it DOES work(never knew!).

Also, please wear gloves when dealing with this(if not already).

Hang in there & may God bless you for your beautiful patience & heart!!!

my heart goes out to you i'm dealing with the same thing. when she goes and number 2 she want to dig it out with her hands then it ends up on everything. we two bathrooms and sometime she dose both. i come home from work cleaning her, and both bathrooms what way to spend the evening. she has also had a UTI for this because she wipes it to the front. then it a big fight to put her in the shower. when she do this it takes about 4hours of my time.

Need more info!! Dose she live with you or alone? Its not uncommon for them to forget and do their business where they are suppose to. Sometimes adult diapers help, and sometimes its up to you to know the signs that they have to go and then you need to get them there and help them through the process. But if she lives alone it sounds like its time for her to not be alone any more! With her doing this she could end up falling and she could end up sick if she's not cleaning her hands after she has picked this stuff up! Please don't let this keep going, she needs help in one way or another!