So far my DH has tinkled in/on a laundry hamper full of clothes, a 12 roll pack of toilet paper, the bathtub & the toilet lid. I caught him just before he went in the refrigerator & on the bedroom carpet. I've learned to keep him on my radar & when he begins fidgeting & pacing I guide him to the bathroom. It would be funny if it weren't so sad!
It could be the dementia, of course, but, maybe she's having urgency, so, I'd check to rule out UTI. If it's the dementia, I might replace the bucket with a bedside toilet, but, if it ain't broke.......so, I'd keep watch. Eventually, proper toileting isn't possible, and she will either need to be directly supervised in toileting or moved into Depends.
My mother knew when she stood up first thing in the morning she would be unable to stop the pee. So we discovered that she was using a bucket of sorts. This was in her 80s. No dementia. Common sense. She went to a urologist and had a Procedure. Fixed her right up for several years. Only needed pull-ups last two years maybe. Don’t think it was even that long. Not everything is dementia.
My grandma used to pee on the green carpet (grass) behind the recliner (tree).
You could not convince her that she was in the house and doing her business on the living room floor, she would shoosh you if you tried to stop her, she didn't want anyone to see her.
Sad to see a proud, proper lady descend into dementia.
There was a woman peeing in the waste basket where my mom is. She couldn't find the toilet, couldn't see well enough.
My mom pees in the toilet, but puts the toilet paper in the basket next to the toilet. I'm thinking to maybe put the trash basket somewhere that she can't reach it from the toilet, but a bit afraid of what she might do then. Her room stinks of urine because the trash in her bathroom is full of toilet paper with urine on it. There is no way to talk to her about it because she won't remember within a minute or two. She is in assisted living and I've reported the issue. They say they will watch it, but I am the one who empties her basket every day when I visit her. Then I report it again. And again.
Putting the TP in a trash can is very common in some countries and in communities where there are extreme water restrictions. If a person just peed, the paper goes into the trash and the toilet is not flushed until someone has a poop.
if your Mum lived in such a place as a young child her behaviour may make sense.
Dad has peed into a pail at night for 30+ years. He empties it in the morning. He uses the toilet the rest of the time.
"Nothing wrong with that." Are you kidding? Weird bathroom dysfunction is often one of the first things to slap family upside the head and make them take notice that something is dreadfully wrong. Yes, using a bucket is infinitely preferable to some of the other things people with dementia get up to, but it's a long way from OK and it is likely just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the things an unsupervised person with dementia might get up to. Yup, bedside commodes as well as toilet risers and grab bars may be part of a solution, but ultimately once someone reaches this stage they need full time supervision.
Nothing wrong with that. I think your mom is thinking that its easier for her than going to the bathroom. Yes, i think its best to get a bedside commode is safer and easier for your mom
I guess that's one way to look at it. However, my LO was doing it in the bathroom trashcan, right next to the toilet! We finally had to hide it. (And she has since done worse).
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Only needed pull-ups last two years maybe. Don’t think it was even that long. Not everything is dementia.
You could not convince her that she was in the house and doing her business on the living room floor, she would shoosh you if you tried to stop her, she didn't want anyone to see her.
Sad to see a proud, proper lady descend into dementia.
My mom pees in the toilet, but puts the toilet paper in the basket next to the toilet. I'm thinking to maybe put the trash basket somewhere that she can't reach it from the toilet, but a bit afraid of what she might do then. Her room stinks of urine because the trash in her bathroom is full of toilet paper with urine on it. There is no way to talk to her about it because she won't remember within a minute or two. She is in assisted living and I've reported the issue. They say they will watch it, but I am the one who empties her basket every day when I visit her. Then I report it again. And again.
if your Mum lived in such a place as a young child her behaviour may make sense.
Dad has peed into a pail at night for 30+ years. He empties it in the morning. He uses the toilet the rest of the time.
Are you kidding? Weird bathroom dysfunction is often one of the first things to slap family upside the head and make them take notice that something is dreadfully wrong. Yes, using a bucket is infinitely preferable to some of the other things people with dementia get up to, but it's a long way from OK and it is likely just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the things an unsupervised person with dementia might get up to. Yup, bedside commodes as well as toilet risers and grab bars may be part of a solution, but ultimately once someone reaches this stage they need full time supervision.
I guess that's one way to look at it. However, my LO was doing it in the bathroom trashcan, right next to the toilet! We finally had to hide it. (And she has since done worse).