Hi all.
Just more of a 'sharing' type post. So my mom has that habit of taking anything lying around and hiding it somewhere creative (pillow case anyone?) so with time, my room with a lock has basically become a storage room for everything. The house almost feels uninhabited as there's nothing around other than furniture. I know that sounds like a silly little thing, but decorations, picture frames etc makes it feel more like home. But anyways.. As of late, she's becoming more creative with trying to find things to take...for example taking off the bed sheet! And then she thinks everything is hers, and lately there's been an obsession with my laptop, mind you she's never had one or know how to work it, but suddenly it's hers. I work from home and take care of her full time. So I might get up to go to the bathroom and came back to find the laptop has disappeared. Then she's super possessive, like if I touch anything that's hers or she thinks it's hers, she gets all "that's mine" agitation.
I know that this is a common part of dementia and definitely not the worst part, but gosh is it frustrating especially considering it is 180degrees from her actual personality and I genuinely don't get it.
Just wondering if you can share your related stories, how you deal, any tips and tricks you've picked up?
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Unfortunately this has now become the case for everything and not just material possessions... She will stuff food under her shirt for example. Which comes with a whole set of new frustrations of trying to take it away, clean her up, get her changed etc. She would just sit there and deny it all even as I'm cleaning the food up, which I realize is due to the disease, but is regardless incredibly frustrating when it's right infront of our eyes.
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We would find items hidden in her bathroom, the closet, under her bed, in the nightstand, and truthfully, I’m still finding things that she had hidden all over the house. Several forks and spoons were resting in her nightstand drawer. Although I’m still missing one of my bathing suits LOL.
All I can advise is to have patience and try to deal with it as gracefully as possible. Good luck and peace to you both.
It may work as a distraction.
That said, why not create a bag of 'stuff' to set out around the house that your mother can 'steal' or 'borrow' or whatever she wants to call it, and hide away in her room to call her own? You can then go into her room that night, collect the stuff back into the bag, put it out again and start the whole 'game' over again the next day. Dementia loves repetition. Doesn't matter that you're putting out the same stuff and she's snatching up the same stuff..............just that she's repeating the motion that brings her comfort.
As far as your personal laptop and other belongings go, you'll have to devise a lock for your door to be used every single time you leave the room, even to use the bathroom. It may be a pain to get used to at first, but think of the aggravation you will save yourself in the long run.
Good luck!