How can I get mom to stop digging at a spot in her nose?

My cousin, who has severe dementia, had a cyst on her face. She picked at it a lot and it just would not heal. There was no way to prevent her from picking at the spot. I took her to a surgeon who said it had to be removed. It was one of those things that would not heal on its own and it had a root. He removed it with IV sedation and she did just fine. He covered it with some kind of substance like liquid glue and it healed just fine. Since it was no longer poking out or swollen, it didn't cause her to pick at it anymore. It healed quickly.

I am making appt tomorrow with an ent to see if it can be removed easily. But then I have to keep her from messing with it until it heals.

Having that little bump removed might solve this issue, that is if it is something that can be easily removed without major surgery. Bet it always feels like something is there, so it is normal for someone to want to try to get rid of it.

Give her something else to do with her hands. Folding seems to be a favorite activity with those suffering with dementia. Will your mom do puzzles or coloring books? Can she knit or crochet? A woman at my moms NH was often kept busy with a large divided tray and a bowel of different colored and shaped beads for sorting.