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For the past month, my mother, who is in the late moderate stages of Alzheimer's has started throwing used toilet paper into the trash can in the bathroom as opposed to the toilet. I saw one video about caregiving that suggested changing the color of the toilet seat to help her distinguish. Has anyone else who is a caregiver for an Alzheimer's patient encountered this experience? My father has not heard it from any of the other caregivers in his support group so he does not understand why my mother is behaving this way.

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Your mother needs supervision in the bathroom at all times now. I've seen quite a few posts here about elders with dementia using the trash can for tp, it's nothing new. Don't try to make sense out of why an elder with AD is doing what she's doing.......just find ways to intervene. In this case, she needs help hoisting.

Good luck.
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lealonnie1 Oct 16, 2024
**toileting, not hoisting****
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I agree with Lea that mom needs supervision now.
However, do know that many folks who were born in another country did not have reliable plumbing, and would deal with clogging of the toilets to the extent that toilet paper was typically NOT thrown in the toilet but in a waste container at the side of it. Common to many places in Latin American countries still today.
If mom comes from another country her family may have done this as normal disposal of waste tissues in some prior stage of life.
This is, by the way, a question we have had quite a few times before, so this isn't all that unusual.
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lealonnie1 Oct 16, 2024
I come from Long Island N.Y. where the house had a cesspool. We threw tp in the garbage can when I was a kid in the 60s.
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There are whole countries where people put ip in the trash can. This is a lot cheaper than having to pay RotoRooter 500 every time the toilet is clogged up. As long as she’s not hiding or playing with the tp, this stage should be, at least manageable
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I’m certainly no expert! My wife does the same thing. I don’t believe she can rationalize the difference between the toilet and the trash can. She seems to puzzle the information and instructions when I say put the paper in the toilet. I use wet wipes to help clean her after using the toilet. Wet wipes are not supposed to be flushed, anyway. So, I dispose of the wipes in the trash can. Why not toilet paper? I’ve come to use plastic grocery bags to line the trash can. They can be disposed of several times a day if necessary. In choosing my battles, I choose not to let this be a battle. Just fix it and move on. Hope that helps! Peace and blessings!
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AlvaDeer Oct 16, 2024
Sam, did your wife grow up in another country by any chance, or in this one with poor plumbing issues? Often entire families did this to save the plumbing. It still exists today in other parts of the world.
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Just double bag the bathroom garbage can and take it out like we used to do with baby diapers.

Did she come from a country as a child where they had to throw TP in a garbage can?
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Reply to anonymous1784938
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Yes I agree with lealonnie below, that your mother now needs someone to assist her in the bathroom EVERY TIME she goes.
That way whoever is with her can make sure that the used toilet paper is going into the toilet instead of the waste paper basket. Plus they can make sure that she in fact is getting good and clean to help prevent any future UTI's as well.
It's a win win for all involved.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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Double bag and take the trash out once a day.
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