My MIL needs to wear compression stockings per her cardiologist. She lives in an ALF. She won't wear them. What do we do?

She's determined not to wear them or she claims if she ever needs a walker she won't use it because in her mind it's a sign of old age. She's 80 years old. Just about the majority of residents in her ALF use walkers. She wears long pants everyday so that shouldn't be a factor with wearing the stockings. No one will see. Her dementia is getting worse. She tells all the staff there that she has 13 children. She only had 4 kids.

My mom's short term memory is shot but no true dementia yet. In order to get her to keep her feet elevated in the recliner I posted a sign on the wall "Feet UP." It worked. I had no luck getting her to correctly wear a sling when she hurt her rotor cuff a couple of months. The edge is suppose to rest on the side of the hand, Mom would pull it back to her wrist (so she could use her hand better?) and the sling edge would cut off blood flow to her hand, so I just gave up.

If she only needs to wear the socks 6 hours a day, is there any chance she could wear them overnight?

I would agree that the socks are probably uncomfortable. If they cover the foot, they are probably hot too. There are some with the toes out maybe cooler. Maybe a lighter weight?

Really, there is not much that can be done. The aides can't be expected to run after her all the time.

How advanced is her dementia? It's really tough to have a person who has dementia comply with something like that. My LO used to pull off any kind of wrap, brace, etc. when she got fractures. Eventually, the doctors just gave up. She would pick it off or pull it off. There was no convincing her, because she couldn't remember what it was and why it was there. On one fracture they had to put a regular cast, because she would remove anything else. Short of having her under constant supervision, I'm not sure of a solution. I'd likely discuss it with her doctor. Based on my experience, most doctors do not understand how a person with dementia behaves and how they are not able to comply with certain things. Perhaps, they may have an alternative treatment. But, due to the brain's inability to remember the socks need to be kept on and why, there's not likely a way to make her remember. Plus, the socks are probably not very comfortable and she doesn't like them.